Fred,
My wife and I went to Lemont. Kabuki theater at its best. No debate. Talking points tossed out to be consumed by the uninformed. Set-up from the beginning to divide the people in attendance. Ringers in the audience being called on to re-enforce the talking points of the IPI. This was a total disservice to the community of Lemont, a community that has its struggles in supporting it’s schools and all it did was divide the community and mislead it and pray upon its fears for its schools. I was shocked that the IEA would so complacently go along with this total self-serving agenda of the IPI (Illinois Policy Institute – FK). I fault myself for not being more vocal at the meeting. We cannot and should not allow this type of public manipulation and misinformation to continue on the part of the IPI. “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” (Edmund Burke) I don’t believe that evil exists but I do know that ignorance and stupidity do exist. Schools and educators are here to help those who suffer from these conditions. We cannot limit ourselves to the classroom. We need to attend the remaining “debates” and speak up. The organizers of this “debate” were successful in limiting the audience’s response to their convoluted agenda and counted on the people’s tolerance for (and I beg your forgiveness) BULLSHIT! If at all you can attend do so and don’t put up with it, please.
– Sig Lisowski
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Fred Klonsky 
I was also at last night’s meeting in Lemont. And, yes, Sig makes some accurate observations. However, I think that the teachers at the meeting, largely dominated the forum and were successful at controlling the tone despite the IPI’s agenda to communicate false information. They criticized the planned survey and its vaguely written questions forcing the moderator to suspend the survey. Teachers spoke out, interrupted IPI people and Senator Bald Head when false information was given and made it clear that they were not going to put up with bullshit! The highlight of the night was when the prim and proper debate moderator has to stop the meeting to scold the audience for interrupting the IPI panelist by saying, “You are all teachers, don’t you expect cooperation form you children when you are speaking to you children?” to which several in the audience yelled back. “We are not children!!!” One retired teacher even stood out saying that he will not stop interrupting until he heard truthful information coming from the panel. Was that you Sig?
I totally agree that the IEA should tell the IPI to go stick it! It almost seemed that Rainey was out of place and being set up, although she handled it well. WITH ALL THE ANGRY TEACHERS WILLING TO FIGHT, I STILL CAN’T IMAGINE WHY THE IEA IS NOT MOBILIZING THE MEMBERSHIP IN AMORE EFFECTIVE WAY?
BIG Kudos who to all of the retired teachers in the room fighting this issue!!!!
A victory for teachers? I don’t know. However the IEA leadership needs to fight as hard as the teachers in the room did last night.
I sat behind my closed door and did my thing during my short, non-tenured career. I am still lurking most of the time but need more background to really know what is happening.