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Thursday, June 6, 2013

UPDATE: There will be no friend of unions in the governor’s mansion. No matter who wins. And will Toni Run? | Fred Klonsky

There will be no friend of unions in the governor’s mansion. No matter who wins. And will Toni Run? | Fred Klonsky:

Parents get a win at Trumball. The future of the WPA murals remains a question.

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Late this afternoon, after a flood of media attention, CPS announced that they would agree to Trumball parents’ requests to delay the removal of the two WPA lunettes that are over the doors in front of the auditorium until after the end of the school year.
Parents expressed concern that the student’s graduation ceremonies would be made even more difficult if the murals, which have always been placed above the auditorium doors, were removed  today as planned.
Graduation will be difficult enough since the school is on the Mayor’s closing list.
With a hat tip to artist Ellen Gradman, here is the CPS statement that was issued this afternoon:
Subject: CPS Statement on Murals
From: “Office of Communications, CPS”
To: CPS Office of Communications
CC: 

“CPS is not removing any murals from any school until the end of the school year. When they are removed, the murals will be placed in protective storage to ensure they are preserved and secure until we determine a new public location for them, most likely in CPS schools.”Becky CarrollChief Communications OfficerChicago Public SchoolsJune 6, 


Will TRS benefits end up lower than Social Security benefits? Yes.

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The State of Illinois created a two-tier pension system for teachers several years ago.
Tier 1 teachers, those hired after January 1, 2011, pay less into the system, must work longer until they qualify for a pension and receive much less a benefit.
As soon as the law was passed, it became clear that there was a problem.
Tier 1 pension benefits will be less  than Social Security benefit levels. Social Security coverage would then 

DePaul naming rights.

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Rahm’s basketball arena won’t be named for Mahalia Jackson.
As has been pointed out, not only are most of the Chicago public school closings located in the African-American neighborhoods of this City, many of the schools are named for notable people of color.
Mahalia Jackson, Arna Bontemps, Benjamin Banneker, Crispus Attiucks and Louis Armstrong to name a few.
Crain’s speculates on naming rights to Rahm’s new DePaul Arena paid for with $100 million in tax dollars that won’t be going to public schools.
The Cacciatore Center. Victor Cacciatore is the CEO of Lakeside Bank, which has a branch that currently sits 


Trumball’s threatened WPA murals.

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One of three WPA-era lunettes, site-specific murals above the entrance of Trumball’s auditorium. Photo: Peter J. Schulz
I had an interesting talk with Heather Becker this morning. Heather is with the Chicago Conservation Center.
We talked about the Trumball murals.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, the CCC has had a long-standing relationship with CPS.  Heather Becker and the CCC’s work with restoration has been phenominal. This is in addition to their efforts at bringing attention to our great cultural heritage in the form of these WPA murals.
Which makes the story even odder.
Becker says she was notified over a month ago that CPS was taking bids on mural removal from several schools 

There will be no friend of unions in the governor’s mansion. No matter who wins. And will Toni Run?


hillarygoodbye-300x300A challenger to Rahm might face disapproval from a Hillary administration.
Billionaire friend of Rahm Emanuel Bruce Rauner announced officially yesterday that he is running for Illinois governor.
How do I know he’s a billionaire?
He keeps telling everyone.
“I’m Bruce Rauner  and I’m a billionaire.”
He joins incumbent Governor Pat Quinn, banker Bill Daley, Attorney General and daughter of Boss Michael