Illinois’ two Democratic senators have not declared how they will vote on the DeVos nomination.
As a result Chicagoans will figuratively knock on their downtown doors tomorrow at the Federal Building, 230 South Dearborn at 3:30.
Senators Durbin and Duckworth MUST VOTE NO on Betsy DeVos, Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Education. DeVos is a billionaire who would profit from the destruction of public education. Devos is the latest in Trump’s series of “Corporate Cabinet” nominees with vast personal wealth or deep ties to Wall Street and is widely considered to be Trump’s most vulnerable nominee.
Chicago area students and allies are also demanding Gov. Bruce Rauner and Speaker Michael Madigan resist Trump’s agenda by fully funding public education from pre-K through college by closing corporate tax loopholes, passing the LaSalle Street Tax, and requiring wealthy people like Gov. Rauner to pay their fair share of income taxes. Rauner and Madigan must also make free and fully funded public higher education accessible to ALL Illinois students, including undocumented students, by passing the Student ACCESS Bill (SB 2196).
There’s a lot going on, but Chicagoans have proven over and over again that we can take to the streets, hold a sign and chant at the same time and on more than two days in a row.
Fred Klonsky 
Not just Devos.All of them.
I don’t agree with DeVos on certain points but I’m just happy to see you lose again.
Screw the kids just to give you personal satisfaction. Actually that is DeVos’ education policy.
My sister called the Senators and their office staff said the same thing. My sister responded by telling them she would do everything she could to find a primary opponent if the good senators couldn’t make up their mind on DeVos, The base is already leaving these elected “leaders” behind.
WTH is wrong with these spineless Dems? The ones who won’t stand up for teachers and public education, yet will come cravenly to us, wanting our money and our votes when up for re-election.
And our spineless IFT leaders will gladly comply.
Free public higher education? Unbelievable! How about taking away welfare to anyone who tests positive for drugs and make sure they are working at least 30 hours per week before this pipe dream is ever considered. This cradle to grave entitlement is ridiculous. It provides no incentive to be self sufficient. But what it does do , it keeps a voting block for the Dems.
That is an alternative fact. The University of California and the entire California college and university system was free until Ronald Reagan. It didn’t seem to deprive Californians of self-sufficiency.
California is broke….last I checked!
That is an alternative fact. It’s not broke now and it certainly wasn’t broke then. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/get-in-the-game-as-californias-budget-shifts-from-red-to-black-300247586.html
Durbin and staff are unreachable by phone. All mailboxes full and DC gives you a busy signal.
I doubt he will even see the many e-mails I have sent but I will keep writing.
Just spoke with duckworth staffer who said she released a statement this morning about not supporting devos. It does not seem to have hit the web yet.
SOS
1-31-17
BETSY DEVOS WILL LIKELY BE THE NEXT SEC. OF EDUCATION. IF SHE FAILS TO GET A SENATE CONFIRMATION, PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL USE A RECESS APPOINTMENT TO GIVE HER THE CABINET POSITION. WITH THIS LIKELIHOOD, SUPPORTERS OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS NEED TO WORK AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS TO PROTECT, PROMOTE, AND KEEP VIBRANT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IN THAT ROLE, WE, THE PEOPLE, MUST USE THE FEDERAL ESSA ACT (PROVIDING IT STAYS AS AN ACT) TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY AND SUCCESS FOR ALL STUDENTS IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THE “AGENDA” OF THE REPUBLICAN LED CONGRESS AND THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH IS THE STATED GOAL OF “STATES RIGHTS” (I. E. THE 10TH AMENDMENT) IN MOST DOMESTIC MATTERS.
YOURS IN EDUCATION,
DR. CHARLES W. BIRCH, public school teacher
attach:
Every Student Succeeds Act
Long title
An original bill to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to ensure that every child achieves.
Acronyms (colloquial)
ESSA
Enacted by
the 114th United States Congress
Citations
Public law
Pub.L. 114–95
Codification
Acts amended
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
No Child Left Behind Act
Legislative history
• Introduced in the Senate by Lamar Alexander (R-TN) on April 30, 2015
• Committee consideration by HELP
• Passed the House on December 2, 2015 (359-64)
• Passed the Senate on December 9, 2015 (85-12)
• Signed into law by President Barack Obama on December 10, 2015
It will be interesting to see how Durbin votes. He’s such a question mark?
SOS
2-1-17
PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE IMPORTANT. PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS REQUIRED.
SUPPORT MUST BE AT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL LEVELS. PUBLIC SCHOOL SUPPORT IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS IS A CHALLENGE (see attach summary of public remarks, this writer, made to Illinois Governor Rauner at his presentation to teachers in Ottawa , Illinois on June 6, 2016) AS IT IS IN EVERY U. S. STATE.
EDUCATION IS A GOOD INVESTMENT.
Yours in education,
Dr. Charles W. Birch, public school teacher
SUMMARY (statement made to Gov. Rauner at his presentation to teachers 06-06-2016)
NOTE:( upon called on by Gov. Rauner, I addressed the Governor, this summary was compiled by me the next day 06-07-2016)
I AM DR. CHARLES BIRCH FROM MORRIS , ILLINOIS. I JUST COMPLETED MY 50TH YEAR AS A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER. ( GOV RAUNER SAYS “CONGRATULATIONS) I AM A STRONG PROPONENT OF FREE PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION. I CALL ON YOU TO BE AN EDUCATION GOVERNOR. AS A GRADUATE OF CATHOLIC GRADE SCHOOL AND CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL , I HAVE NO OBJECTION TO THE EXISTENCE OF PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS. HOWEVER, I AM AGAINST PUBLIC TAX FUNDING OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS (I.E.VOUCHERS). I STAND OPPOSED TO CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT ARE PRIVATELY FUNDED AS WELL AS PUBLIC TAX SUPPORTED. I AM QUITE FAMILIAR WITH A GRAYS LAKE CHARTER SCHOOL THAT DRAWS PUBLIC MONEY AND HAS HAD SEVERAL COURT DECISIONS THAT RULED THAT THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND HAS BEEN SERIOUSLY QUESTIONED. ONLY BY CONTINUED APPEALS HAS THE SCHOOL REMAINED OPEN.,
IT TAKES TAX DOLLARS TO RUN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. FOUR OF MY GRAND CHILDREN ATTENDED ROUND LAKE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. FOR A TIME , DUE TO THE LACK OF DISTRICT REVENUE, THE STATE OF ILLINOIS TOOK OVER THE DISTRICT. IT TAKES MONEY TO FUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IF PAPER MONEY HAD BEEN SENT, ROOF LEAKS IN THE ROUND LAKE SCHOOLS COULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED.
BORN AND RAISED IN WISCONSIN, MY FIRST TWO AND HALF TEACHING YEARS WERE SPENT TEACHING IN THE ONALASKA PUBLIC SCHOOLS. GOV WALKER’S EDUCATION POLICIES HAVE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THE ELIMINATION OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING FOR WAGES AND LEAVING BARGAINING TO THINGS LIKE CLASS SIZE AND THE COLOR OF TEXTBOOKS IS DETRIMENTAL TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
YES, IT TAKES TAX DOLLARS TO FUND PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION. THE STATE OF ILLINOIS NEEDS TO HAVE A GRADUATED INCOME TAX TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY MONETARY FUNDS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I CALL ON YOU TO BE AN EDUCATION GOVERNOR. THANK YOU
GOV RESPONSE: “YOU COVERED SOME VERY IMPORTANT ISSUES. I WILL ADDRESS SOME OF THEM. AS REGARDS YOUR CHARTER SCHOOL OPPOSITION. I COULD RESPOND DIFFERENTLY . . . “
NOTES RE GOV ADDRESS: GOV BLAMES THE PROBLEMS WITH ILLINOIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS ON THE CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND ALL BLAME DIRECTED AT ILL HOUSER SPEAKER MIKE MADIGAN AND THE “DEMOCRATIC MACHINE”. HE REPEATED HIS KEY FOCUS FROM HIS INITIAL REMARKS, THAT, WHAT HAS TO BE DONE IS TO DEFEAT THE CHICAGO DEMOCRATIC MACHINE AND ELECT REPRESENTATIVES THAT SUPPORT THE TURN AROUND AGENDA.