Former Chicago Alderman, "Fast" Eddie Vrdolyak.
Chico was Daley’s gofer.
The Chicago Reader’s Ben Joravsky documents the long and sorry relationship between Gery Chico and Richie Daley.
In the last 20 years, Chico’s been the mayor’s deputy chief of staff and chief of
Dear Diane,
When it comes down to it, what motivates me is my dislike of bullies. I can't recall who recently wrote this—or words to this effect, but it struck me that my dedication to democracy boils down to precisely this—a loathing for bullies. And, I suppose, a fear of them, which goes back a long way to my youth. Part of our task is connecting that natural aversion (and attraction) to bullying to democracy. A substantial state of equality is the key ingredient.
Are we born with it?
Who cares, I suppose. But it's a good place to unravel what democracy is and isn't about. Like all things good, it also reminds us that getting rid of bullies probably comes at a price. We are always in the process of making unintended trade-offs, with consequences we later rue. But often don't learn from.
There is no way to avoid such trade-offs, but the more consciously we make them, the more prepared we are to handle the less-desirable consequences.
I think of this often when colleagues/allies with whom I align on current educational policy disagree with me on
Is impromptu creative play a concept of the past?
Skill and drill and standardized testing are the rigorous practices of our kids today, the driver for schools to be deemed successful. As I view the curriculum and walk into classrooms across my school district, I don't see the kind of activity that allows for students to create. The interactions with peers, where empathy, impulse control, problem-solving and risk taking are nurtured, are minimal or nonexistent. I see children lined up neatly in a row, learning their standards and preparing for assessments. They can regurgitate math facts, identify elements of a story but they don't know how to invent a game.
We do need to have a time where skills are developed and knowledge is enhanced. But we also need time to foster
Des Moines IA (TWP)
Middle school science teacher Rhonda Spelling met with legislators at the state capitol on Tuesday to discuss a proposed bill on merit pay for parents that she co-authored. The bill would issue merit pay funds, similar to how they are rewarded to teachers, to parents whose children aren’t failures.
Using funds from the state lottery, the legislation would make it possible to pay parents of children for a variety of outcomes and behaviors, such as not getting pregnant or (in the case of male children) not getting another adolescent pregnant. Merit pay can also be earned if parents don’t allow their children to work from 4 to midnight at McDonald’s on school nights.
The bill also provides merit pay for parents whose children bring a pencil and piece of paper to class, stay awake, and consistently fail to reveal cleavage, camel toe, or ass crack in their normal school attire. Some exceptions will be made for accidental exposure of said cleavage or crack, and the reward will be measured by
