First Ward Alderman, aka The Hipster Alderman, Proco Joe Moreno claimed on his website that CTU President Karen Lewis was forcing CTU members to stay on strike against their will while they read the settlement framework prior to the House of Delegate vote on Tuesday.
“Enough is enough,” Proco said. “I urge the leadership to stop grandstanding and start letting our talented teachers do what the do best…teach.”
Letting them?
It hard for a Chicago alderman to wrap their head around the idea of democracy. Taking time to read a contract is not playing to their best suit.
Remember? Parking meters. The Chicago Skyway.
Read Proco’s whole statement:
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I fully support our teachers. We have many great schools, teachers and students in the 1st Ward but obviously, we have challenges too. The status quo isn’t good enough.
I fully support the right to strike, but I have not supported this specific strike. Successful protests and strikes seek to empower the many, not the few. This strike has selfishly empowered a union leadership, not empowered teachers, parents, and children. I believe the strike is unnecessary and more about personalities than the actual important and legitimate issues.
Today’s announcement that the strike will continue is incredibly disappointing and frankly, ridiculous… Our kids need to go back to school. There is absolutely no valid reason why school can’t resume before the union votes on this new contract.
Karen Lewis talked a lot about “trust” in her press conference making this unnecessary announcement earlier… The longer this goes, the less I am able to trust their assertion that their most prevalent concern is the well-being of our children.
Of course it would be better if there were more time for the delegates and members to examine and disseminate the specifics of the new contract, but this is far from an ideal situation. Enough is enough! Our children and the reputation of our teachers are being damaged every day that this continues. I urge the the leadership to stop grandstanding and start letting our talented teachers do what they do best… teach.
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Want to let The Hipster Alderman know what you think?
Phone: 773 278 0101
Fax: 773 278 2541
email: ward01@cityofchicago.org
Fred Klonsky 
Highest salaries, shortest school days, and shortest school year + ridiculously embarrassing graduation rates makes for some awfully entitled chest beating.
Kevin,
Chest beating? You bet. When it comes to public schools and public school teachers, I’m a regular Tarzan. Ahooooo!
Highest salaries? Shortest school days? Shortest school year?
Evidence please.
As for graduation rates. Not embarrassing. Disgraceful. What do you think the graduation rates would be at the private school Rahm sends his kids to if 86% were so poor they qualified for free lunch and they had the same per student expenditure as CPS?
-Tarzan
He’s just trying to be Mayor someday. Shame on him for grandstanding –what if anything does he know about collective bargaining. He is arrogant and full of himself. Why did Mayor Daley pick him. He should stay out of this and keep to what he truly knows – chasing skirt.
Once again I recommend term limits. Democracy cannot function properly when men and women enter office with the thought of enriching themselves while screwing over the populous. It cannot be fresh if those in power are stale and have been there for decades. I mean seriously people its a disgrace that there are men on the city council who have been there since I was a little boy, and I am 44 now. This has to stop there has to be term limits to those who hold public office, its one sure fire way to eliminate the lobby in that if we know that aldermen can only serve two terms, the damage is limited.
What else could you expect from an alderman who does not understand democracy. Remember Chick Fil A…..
Honestly, this guy is ignorant and we should just feel bad for him because of his ignorance. Anyone who is intimately familiar with the contract negotiations knows that they were trying to change almost everything about the way the school day works (especially at the high school level). And anyone who has worked in CPS long enough knows the reasons why we could not return to work until we had a SIGNATURE on the deal (which was lacking Sunday but managed to be there by Tuesday) – because we would’ve been steamrolled without it. And of course POOF there goes any leverage we had. It was necessary. If he were smarter and better informed, he’d know that. Instead, he chooses ignorance. Seriously…feel bad for him…and call him and tell him so! Lol…