Will the real parents please stand up?
by pureparents
The following article by Chicago public school parent Wendy Kattan was originally published in Catalyst Magazine.
Parents don’t want a “war.” They want a district that’s looking out for all children, that is capable of collaboration and able to hear the views and voices of real parents in the system.
By: Wendy Katten / October 1, 2012
Now that the strike is over and parents, students and teachers are finally settling into the routine of the school year, many parents we talk to are wondering what will change in terms of how policies are shaped at the district level at Chicago Public Schools. The blogosphere is abuzz from East Coast to West with opinions on the value and meaning of this strike. Tomorrow, our teachers in Chicago will vote on whether or not to ratify the contract.
As a parent group in CPS, our members will still be advocating for the same things we were working on before the strike – more funding for classroom resources and staff, smaller class sizes, a dignified school day for all children in Chicago, a system that allows for parent voices to be heard and more democracy in