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Why did CTU call for Claypool’s resignation?

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Illinois

The governing body of the Chicago Teachers Union called for the “immediate resignation” of schools chief Forrest Claypool on Wednesday, a symbolic gesture that also denounced budget cuts and layoffs implemented by the city amid ongoing budget turmoil.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who appointed Claypool to lead Chicago Public Schools in 2015, responded by saying he had “complete confidence” in the former mayoral chief of staff and Chicago Transit Authority chief.

* DNAInfo…

Chicago Public Schools CEO Forrest Claypool should resign immediately “for his efforts to dismantle and sabotage” Chicago’s public schools, the leaders of the Chicago Teachers Union said.

The resolution, adopted Wednesday evening by the union’s House of Delegates, came in advance of the first of four unpaid days for teachers ordered by Claypool to save $35 million to help fill a $215 million hole in the school district’s budget caused by the state budget impasse. […]

The resolution adopted by the union’s House of Delegates, accuses Claypool and the Chicago Board of Education — all appointed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel — of “frivolously lining the pockets of wealthy investors” while students suffer the effects of deep cuts to school budgets.

OK, but how is Claypool allegedly lining those pockets and why?

* For the answer, go to the CTU resolution…

WHEREAS, the efficiency measures proposed by Chicago Public Schools and imposed by the Chicago Board of Education have led to mass privatization, costly contracts, program cuts, mass layoffs, and an increased inefficiency of our public school services all while frivolously lining the pockets of wealthy investors

RESOLVED that the Chicago Teachers Union calls for the immediate resignation of CEO Forrest Claypool and a member vote of no confidence for his efforts to dismantle and sabotage the Chicago Public Schools; and be it further

So, basically what the CTU is talking about here are the CPS privatization programs. Coincidentally, part of the Senate’s grand bargain would expand those very same Chicago Public Schools privatization standards to the rest of the state.

The CTU probably should’ve been more specific, citing dollar amounts or specific privatization failures. This is, after all, a hot topic. But it’s not just some empty personality fight over who should resign.

* From last week…

One of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s campaign contributors is in line to get more business from the city’s school system.

The Chicago Board of Education will vote Wednesday on three new contracts — worth around $500 million over three years — that will further privatize the management of school building engineers. One of the two companies listed on the board report is SodexoMAGIC, a company that NBA-star-turned-businessman Earvin “Magic” Johnson has a stake in.

Johnson donated $250,000 to Emanuel’s 2015 reelection bid through an organization he established called Inner City Youth Empowerment, LLC. If approved by the board, the new contract would expand a pair of contracts awarded in 2014 worth $340 million.

When SodexoMAGIC and Aramark began overseeing the cleaning and management of school facilities, principals complained about dirty classrooms and a lack of communication.

Some documentation of those complaints are on the CTU’s website.

* And those complaints against Aramark included this one from last June…

Students at a West Side Chicago public high school were surprised to find something extra in their breakfast Wednesday morning - mold.

CPS is now investigating what went wrong after a box of expired breakfast snacks was served at the West Town Academy.

“I opened the package and once I opened it I noticed the corner had mold on it,” said student Janiah Dean. […]

CPS has launched an investigation and Aramark, it’s vendor that supplies food to the school, says: “Unfortunately, at West Town Academy today a student received (food) that did not meet our high quality standards. Out of an abundance of caution, we immediately removed the product line and are working to determine how this happened. The incident appears to be isolated and did not pose a health risk to students.”

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Feb 2, 17 @ 12:53 pm

Comments

The CTU’s only solution to any problem is to simply throw more money at the school system, and to raise taxes to do it. They even suggest hay because their members also pay taxes that somehow they have more skin in the game than other taxpayers.

If they offered real solutions to real problems I would pay attention to them, but instead they focus on isolated incidents and they just complain and I’m tired of listening to them and their execs who make 6x what the average Chicagoan makes.

Comment by Not It Thursday, Feb 2, 17 @ 1:07 pm
Chicagoan - Thursday, Feb 2, 17 @ 1:02

The Fox story is from June 2016. Claypool was appointed CPS CEO in July 2015. But you’ve never let facts get in the way of the a drive by comment.

Comment by Precinct Captain Thursday, Feb 2, 17 @ 1:07 pm
=Those aren’t new contracts.=

It’s a renewal and expansion of the contract.

Comment by TinyDancer(FKASue) Thursday, Feb 2, 17 @ 1:09 pm
Hey that’s what Unions do- denounce management. Remember Paul Called. Let’s hope the Unions like the new Secretary of Education assuming she is approved

Comment by Sue Thursday, Feb 2, 17 @ 1:12 pm
Paul Valles

Comment by Sue Thursday, Feb 2, 17 @ 1:13 pm
With a 73% five year graduation rate -I’d look to privatize services as well. The CPS was caught fudging the graduation rates in 2014 so who really knows.

Comment by T Sowell Thursday, Feb 2, 17 @ 1:16 pm
Thankfully, CTU still has what’s most important to them: the 7% pension pick-up.

Comment by City Zen Thursday, Feb 2, 17 @ 1:24 pm
I’m no fan Claypool either. But c’mon, CTU. Your fire should be directed at a more menacing threat: Bruce Rauner.

Learn from history. Approach the next couple years like you’re Churchill or FDR. Unite with Stalin to defeat Hitler. They’ll be a time and place to fight Stalin later. Work on taking out the more immediate and more dangerous threat right now.

Comment by Tootoo Thursday, Feb 2, 17 @ 1:27 pm
Claypool didn’t find new money that never existed. He must be fired. Harumph.

Comment by Shemp Thursday, Feb 2, 17 @ 1:31 pm
I figured they did it because Rahm and Claypool have no credibility on education issues so it was a free shot.

Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Feb 2, 17 @ 1:34 pm
Allowing virtually unfettered privatization and restrictions on bargaining rights for the CTU were sold as a way to improve CPS by the self -described “reformers” who , no matter how often their prescriptions don’t work, continue to have the ear of the Mayor and his cronies.

Comment by Truthteller Thursday, Feb 2, 17 @ 2:27 pm
just a part of campaign 2019. The Chuyistas/Chuyerners are out in force.

Comment by Amalia Thursday, Feb 2, 17 @ 3:09 pm
–With a 73% five year graduation rate -

The national rate is 81%. Ten years ago, the national rate was 71%.

Back in the good ol’ days, the national rate was 40%, until it started to increase in the 1950s.

http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/10/17/498246451/the-high-school-graduation-reaches-a-record-high-again

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Feb 2, 17 @ 5:52 pm