Monday, September 17, 2012

The Strike Continues...

...and I am most annoyed with the CTU.  They have a contract that seems quite reasonable, and in some cases more than reasonable.  I understand wanting to "mull it over" before signing it, but at this point get the kids back into class while you mull it over.  I spent last night and this morning reading the Summary of Terms sheet posted on CTU's website.  They summarize the things they like and don't like.

Two things they don't like is the longer day and longer school year.  It seems to me if schools around the nation have days longer than 5.45 hours and 180 day school years, then CPS can and should, too.  Not to mention, of the now 7 hour day, teachers will only about 6.25 hours working.  They will be getting a 45 minute duty-free lunch.  That's a shorter day than most professionals work.  I do recognize they teachers are spending some time at home doing things like grading, so I think this is perfectly fair, but it's certainly not unreasonable as CTU seems to think.

Anyway, I've marked up the Terms sheet with my opinions on the big issues.  I'm neutral about many things in it, so those parts are simply unmarked.  I've underlined in green things I like and struck out in red things I don't like, and I've added a few comments along the way.  The evaluation process seems more than fair, and overall this contract seems quite reasonable. 

My last little point to note is that I'm happy to see that CTU agrees to make up the days that have been lost to their strike.  Now, I want to make my opinion known that those days should be made up on single day holidays (Columbus day, Presidents day, etc) throughout the year, and not with an extra 1.5 weeks at the end of school.  Without our Labor Day start to school the kids already get out 2-3 weeks later than all of the school districts I know (suburban and Louisiana).  Adding time at the end will keep them in school pretty much until July, which really isn't fair to them or parents!

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