First, read this message from George Schmidt on Facebook re the fightback -- see what can happen when a union stands up and pushes back? Note George's points about the real intentions of every one of the ed deform gang, a message that has been hammered home to Chicago teachers, who won't be telling them the falsehoods that all they need to do is wait out Rahmbo.
Here, Unity acts like John King and Merryl Tisch are fair minded mediators and not allies of Bloomberg and Eva and all the other ed deform slugs. Which given that so many rank and file teachers are fully aware of the game being played, the UFT's misdirection and misleadership to me puts them on their side once you start asking WHY?
Need I say that MORE is trying to model itself on the CTU's CORE, which by the way is running for re-election this May with Karen Lewis again heading the ticket.
Considering the problems with violence in Chicago's communities (not all; we live in a police district that is safer than the suburbs of Oak Park and Evanston, according to crime data), it should be national news that Rahm Emanuel's administration has hired a "tough ex-Marine" to do a pacification program aimed at...
The Chicago Teachers Union and the critics of this year's two big RAHMLIES -- the "underutilization crisis" and the "billion dollar deficit."
When RAHMGANGS running even more rampant across the city partly -- because of the RAHMERCS who were hired from out of town (clueless about Chicago realities) to run the schools, police, and libraries -- it's not surprising that RAHMBO is now hiring a former NATO pacification guy to fly the drones in against Chicago teachers and parents who are fighting against this year's Hit List.
One of the cool things about this year is how almost every one of their hypocrisies and Hollywood stunts (Rahm's people try to script everything with the help of about three million dollars in propaganda hacks at the "Mayor's Press Office" and the CPS "Office of Communications") is falling flat because from one end of Chicago to the other everyone knows the game plan is to destroy the city's real public schools, close dozens of schools, then privatize them (at those infamous dollar a year leases) via the charter schools.
The want to New Oreleans-ize Chicago, but their plan is running up against democracy. So naturually, a school system that is facing a BILLION DOLLAR DEFICIT has been able to afford to hire this military guy to pacify the communities and add dozens of FACE bureaucrats to the "Network" offices.
Back when Chicago had a free press (instead of today, when the facts only come out in the Indy press, Substance, and the unions), these stories would have been Page One, and the mayor's plans and cronies would have been laughed out of town. Nowadays, instead, the Chicago Sun-Times, now owned by Rahm's cronies, seems to believe it can get some kind of New Age Pulitzer Prize for putting the mayor's picture on Page One the most in any one year. (Maybe they thing that RAHMIFICATION of the FRONT PAGE will somehow charm people into forgetting about the murder rate?...)... -- George Schmidt
UNO – The Face of the New Chicago MachineChicago has a reputation as a town run by a political machine. Today, the power of the machine no longer lies in ward organizations; it lies in the business community and business-friendly politicians and organizations. http://ow.ly/hrGAq
The United Neighborhood Organization (UNO) successfully navigated the waters to stay a force through both the traditional machine and the new machine. UNO was one of the community groups that backed the legislation that started Local School Councils (LSCs) and immediately used its power to push its own agenda through them. http://ow.ly/hrH4RWhen Mayor Daley’s son Richard M. Daley was given reign over the public schools in 1995, taking much of the power away from LSCs, UNO changed course to open its own charter schools, which allowed it to receive public money and distribute it largely without fetters. This required a change in ideology. Instead of empowering the Latino community by amplifying its voice, it worked to change the sound of that voice. Ultra-right wing reactionary think tank the American Enterprise Institute praises the organization in its report American Citizenship:“UNO fundamentally understands citizenship education as a project of assimilation and Americanization.” http://ow.ly/hrI5V :UNO’s current CEO, Juan Rangel benefits from following the corporate line as he makes $266,000 a year, more than the CEO of all 600+ Chicago Public Schools. http://ow.ly/hrQ8zThis new approach led to clashes with local movements to open new schools. http://ow.ly/hrILDAlways forward thinking; UNO founded the Metropolitan Leadership Institute, which prepares hopeful leaders with its brand of pinstripe patronage. http://ow.ly/hrKcmGraduates of MLI have been appointed to top-level government jobs. http://ow.ly/hrKjmAlthough MLI operates under a shroud of secrecy, its graduates follow a largely anti-union line. During the Chicago Teachers Union strike, one of the union’s most vocal opponents was MLI graduate Alderman Proco “Joe” Moreno. http://ow.ly/hrKHdMoreno’s remarks largely resembled those of UNO CEO Juan Rangel: http://ow.ly/hrKWV[CEO Rangel] praised the work of wealthy charter school supporters -- and mayoral allies -- like Bruce Rauner and the Pritzker family. "Do we have the resolve to embrace Chicago's wealthy community... and support them as a focal source of energy that fuels the school reform movement with their money? Or will we shy away from them and allow the silly talk that currently passes for debate about the so-called one-percenters privatizing our schools?"UNO pushes an anti-union agenda because it is a key player in Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s privatization plan. Rangel was co-chair of Emanuel’s mayoral bid.UNO is really a political organization; one that is larger and more powerful than the traditional ward organizations in that is has no set boundaries. There is no need for to hide their money because it is awarded to them above the table, but doled out below.Companies with UNO contracts have made large political contributions to UNO-backed candidates for state and local office and UNO workers have volunteered on these campaigns.UNO’s was able to proliferate its charter schools with a $98 million dollar state grant awarded to them by the Illinois legislature. http://ow.ly/hrLKNIt’s important to note that this $98 million was in addition to the local and state funding UNO receives for operating schools. So UNO receives funding like public schools, millions of state aid on top of that, and contributions from corporations like Wal-Mart. http://ow.ly/hrQwzParent groups filed a complaint with the Inspector General’s office to find out how that grant is being used since UNO refuses to be transparent. http://ow.ly/hrNzCUNO thwarts Freedom of Information Act requests through MLI graduate Homero Tristan who is one of UNO’s lawyers. http://ow.ly/hrNUTTristan left his post as the City’s Human Resources Commissioner amid a hiring scandal. http://ow.ly/hrO54This state grant allowed for the immediate proliferation of UNO charter schools, which meant more contracts to go around. http://ow.ly/hrM6XIf that was not enough, The Walton Family Foundation (Wal-Mart) added additional start up money for a new UNO campus. http://ow.ly/hrQwzOf course the Walton’s understand how to hedge market share. They funded CPS’ campaign to promote public school closings. http://ow.ly/hrRcNThe Chicago-Sun Times released a list of contractors who benefited from UNO’s immense war chest. http://ow.ly/hrLW8UNO has expanded its operations into janitorial services and is winning contracts from the City that traditionally went to union businesses. http://ow.ly/hrSlOUNO fashions itself as an alternative to the old school machine but it is merely a new version of it. After Chicago’s Hispanic Democratic Organization (HDO) broke up amidst scandals, it created a vacuum that UNO filled. http://ow.ly/hrSR6
What astroturf groups does the UFT? UFT is very much in Eva's face. As usual you have clue what you're talking about Norm.
ReplyDeleteMeant to say you have no clue what you're talking about. UFT has no astroturf groups. Stop hating & lying.
DeleteYeah Norm...really...UFT friends with Eva? Not even your cat believes that!
ReplyDeleteWhat seems to be missing here Norm is any aggressive action on CTU's part. Not to say there wasn't any but this article doesn't address any other than the sophomoric use of the mayor's name. Sorry you have been unaware of UFT presence at PEP rallies, the successful lawsuits blocking closing the schools Eva Moskowitz targets, the rally against co-location that included strong support from mayoral candidates, ... HEAR NO! EVA; SEE NO EVA, SAY NO to EVA.
ReplyDeleteYou are saying that a massive strike supported by 92% of the teachers in a system that has been loaded with the TFA replacement teachers while older teachers have been pushed out over the past 15 years is not as aggressive an action as can take place? Here the UFT uses the idea of a strike to scare and demilitarize teachers while the CTU used that to organize teachers. Every Chi teacher I have met is fully knowledgeable about ed deform. Go to an AFT convention and see the Unity ignoramuses who are there to shop and eat. They all think the problem is Bloomberg not the ed deformers.
DeleteYes, the UFT "ignoramuses" are there to shop and eat. Norm, comments like that show how full of shit you are.
DeleteOh, I forgot something. While working on the union dole, the Unity (I am the UFT too) ignoramuses have time to spend time commenting on the blogs.
DeleteRight again Norm, because nobody could be so tired of your miserable tripe that they would be willing to call you on your BS while on their own free time.
DeleteWant to make a side bet you are on the union payroll? I go with Norm.
DeleteHey, I'll put a hundred dollars down if this guy is not on the union LM-2 report. Just send me name and address and check will be in the mail. No guts, no glory.
DeleteSeems you both owe me $100. Come on, Norm, you can afford it with your six figure salary.
DeleteI know someone who is not tired of Norm's miserable tripe. You. Can't seem to stay away can you? You might try getting a life. After you cash your check from Unity that is.
DeleteTell me how you have battled co-locos when you yourselves have 2 co-locos, including one in my old junior high school which is now being closed, possibly your charter being a factor? I bet you supported the UFT charter schools which are an embar plus a drain on UFT funds.
ReplyDeleteNow as to Eva -- she pulls out her hordes and at not one event did the UFT stand up to her. It is demoralizing to the co-loco schools.
Your astro turf org? give me a break. Everyone knows who they are except for the UFT Kool-aid drinkers. Just check the LM-2 to see where the money goes.