I was on an NPR show called “To the Point” today, where a panel debated the teachers’ strike. The discussion of the strike begins 24 minutes into the show.
Other panelists included Juan Jose Gonzalez, the Chicago director of Stand for Children, who opposed the union; Timothy Knowles of the University of Chicago, who advised Mayor Rahm Emanuel; Rick Perlstein, author; and me.
It was a spirited discussion, to say the least.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Nice job laying out the faults with the latest teacher evaluation schemes. Montgomery County schools in MD, are doing it right.
They are not striking over equal educational opportunity, as important as it is. They are striking for what they perceive compensates them unfairly. That is their right by law.
Excellent job Diane and Rick Perlstein! Even Timothy Knowles agrees that relying on testing for teacher evalutation is unreliable, and he was one of Rahm Emanuel’s education advisors. Thank you on behalf of all Chicago Public School Teachers. Thank you for bringing up the issue of Johah Edelman boasting in Aspen about his success in lobbying against the CTU and making it “impossible” by state law for CTU to ever go on strike. I wonder what he is saying right now! I really doubt that Mr. Gonzalez ever speaks to the parents in CPS, his information comes from parents who have children in Charter schools with small classes, air conditioned, well equipped, fully staffed, renovated, quickly updated, etc. schools. While the parents of children in underfunded, purposely targetted for failure, understaffed, extremely hot, overcrowed public schools are ignored by CPS. Where is the equity and equility in Chicago? As a successful veteran teacher with 28 years in the Chicago Public Schools, one who has participated in 3 strikes I say we have no other choice. Enough is enough! For our students, their parents, for the survival of the right to high quality public education!
Wasn’t it interesting how Juan Jose Gonzalez did not answer any questions directly with evidence to back up his claims? His commentary was just a commercial for Stand For Children. He did not address any of the CTU’s concerns for the classroom environment only stating that Stand For Children wanted the kids back IN the classrooms–never mind what injustices they and their teachers face.
How can this man and the cause he claims that Stand For Children is taking up on behalf of “so many people” be taken seriously with no real commentary on the reality of the situation? He had nothing but political talking points as his platform not unlike a snake oil salesman.
Diane, your points were spot on and very well articulated. Gonzalez sounded like a bumbling cheerleader for a team that’s trying to get into the playoffs based on feel-good rhetoric and no substantive development of skill, organization, or effort. Raising money to pass political agendas that negatively affect the public is NOT making an effort for education.
Most outrageous was when he asserted that Stand is supported by the dollars of working men and women when it is well known–because Jonah Edelman said so on tape–that it collects millions from equity investors.
Yes, he conveniently glossed over that point rather quickly by adding that there are many other “individuals” who financially support Stand. More snake oil?
that is a polite way of putting it.