Saturday, December 10, 2011

Saturday coffee + Old school. « Fred Klonsky

Saturday coffee. « Fred Klonsky:

Saturday coffee.

Occupy Moscow.

Chicago had its first measurable snow this week. When I let Ulysses out this morning it was 18 degrees.

After coffee, food shopping and dropping clothes off at the cleaners, it was holiday shopping for the grand kids. A small old-time toy store in Lincoln Square was where we headed. In fact, it’s called Old Time Toy Store.

We know we could probably buy everything we ended up buying on Amazon. But we have bought toys there for years. They wrap them. They ship them. The guy behind the counter wears a badly fitted elf hat. The only advantage Amazon has over Old Time Toy Store is that two Saturdays before Christmas it’s a little hard to park. On the other hand, we get to touch and look at the stuff and end up buying the wind-up toy at the counter we


Where is the NEA leadership headed just at the time when we need a fighting union?

In Illinois Senate Bill 7 took away our seniority rights and tenure rights and the right to bargain teacher evaluation at the local level. Chicago teachers had their ability to strike made more difficult. Teacher evaluations are now tied to student test performance. This was done with the willing collaboration of the leadership of the Illinois Education Association. Thre was no rank and file voice.

In Michigan, the Michigan Education Association is under assault by the Republicans who control the governor’s mansion and both chambers of the legislature. It is not just their right to collectively bargain, but their right to exist that is being challenged.


Old school.

The Pretenders.