A CPS funding pop quiz
Which politician did which of these dastardly things?
With Mayor Rahm and Governor Rauner both swinging wrecking balls, it's hard to keep track of who's done what damage to Chicago's public schools over the past few days and weeks . . . and months and years. So much damage has already been done.
OK, we all know it was Emanuel who recently cut about $100 million in school spending because the teachers wouldn't fall to the ground and say "Thank you, boss" after seeing his recent contract offer.
Just as we know it's Rauner who's eager to bankrupt CPS so he can turn the system over to a consultant. Maybe the guy who ran Flint's waterworks is available.
But which politician showed his utter contempt for Chicago's schoolchildren, allegedly saying 25 percent of them wouldn't amount to anything, so why bother wasting money on them?
Got you with that one—didn't I?
On that note, I think it's time I give you a guide to who's said and done what to destroy public education in Chicago. Let's take a little quiz, shall we?
Who declared war on the Chicago Teachers Union by taking advantage of the fine print in their contract to snatch away a 4 percent wage hike—on the grounds that greedy teachers gave children "the shaft"?
That was Mayor Rahm, in one of his first interactions with the schools back in 2011.
If you got that one wrong, it might be you were thinking of Rauner, who accused CTU of "routinely bribing our politicians with their union dues to get themselves outrageously generous pensions."
Without of course mentioning that his private equity firm made millions managing teachers' pension funds.
And you wonder why so many teachers can't stand these two.
Next question . . .
Who ramped up the war with CTU by telling its president, "Fuck you, Lewis!"
That's easy. It was the mayor talking to Karen Lewis back in August 2011A CPS funding pop quiz | Ben Joravsky on Politics | Chicago Reader: