Latest News and Comment from Education

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

2-18-14 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher

Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.:









Soup kitchen and half a cola draws attention to pension theft.
I’m just back from the Evanston district office of State Representative Robyn Gabel. Gabel is one of the Democratic politicians in our state that votes consistently, even enthusiastically some say, for pension theft. Teachers, both active members of IEA and retired members of the Skokie Organization of Retired Educators, a north suburban chapter of IEA Retired, held a mock soup kitchen and served


The CTU is not looking kindly on a 4th year extension of the contract.
Catalyst is reporting that the Chicago Teachers Union is not looking kindly on a 4th year extension to the current contract. CTU VP Jesse Sharkey: “If both sides wanted to do an extra year, we could. If both sides wanted to do an extra four years, we could,” Sharkey said. “But there’s a name for that, and it’s called bargaining a new contract. I think it’s extremely unlikely that our members are g

University of Illinois at Chicago faculty on strike. Photos from today’s picket line.
  “ “Wait. Don’t show me smiling. I’m mad!”            

Kirk Dillard and ALEC. Stand Your Ground wasn’t about education?
  ALEC’s Stand Your Ground bill and Trayvon Martin. I totally understand why many of my teacher colleagues are so terrified by Bruce Rauner that they will hold their nose and pull a Republican ballot and vote for someone like Kirk Dillard. I won’t. But I understand why many will. It won’t be enough to elect Dillard. Rauner will be running against Quinn in November. But that’s a discussion for ano




2-17-14 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher
Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Some IEA – Rauner history. A history of being pragmatic.. The Illinois Education Association and the Illinois Retired Teachers Association have a long and rocky history together. But since I have become active in both, I have argued for reconciliation and common efforts where our interests converge. A