This should be of interest to readers. The Chicago Teachers Union has filed a federal lawsuit against the Chicago Public Schools, claiming that African American teachers have been disproportionately harmed by school closings. Over the past decade, their numbers have dropped dramatically in the school system.
Chicago Teachers File Federal Lawsuit Charging CPS with Racial Discrimination
CHICAGO — The oft-maligned Chicago Public Schools (CPS) policy of subjecting neighborhood schools to “turnaround” discriminates against African-American teachers and staff according to a federal lawsuit filed this week by the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and three public school educators. More than half of the 347 tenured teachers who were terminated by CPS as a result of the most recent turnarounds are African-American. This is the second major legal action on this matter taken by the union.
The Dec. 26 lawsuit alleges that the process for selecting schools for turnaround results in schools being selected that have a high percentage of African-American teachers, compared to schools that performed similarly but are not selected for any school action. More than 50 percent of the tenured teachers terminated as a result of the most recent turnarounds were African American, despite making up less than 30 percent of the tenured teaching staff at CPS, and 35 percent of the tenured teacher population in the poor performing schools.
The complaint, a potential class action first filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in August by the CTU and teachers Donald L. Garrett Jr., Robert Green and Vivonell Brown Jr., challenges termination by virtue of the Chicago Board of Education’s policy and practice in selecting 10 South and West side schools for turnaround in February 2012—effective June 2012.
“While no one wins when jobs are lost, to disproportionately affect a particular segment of the population— whether intentional or not—indicates a glaring oversight and lack of concern for what the loss of jobs does to an individual and their community,” said CTU President Karen GJ Lewis.
Most of the district’s African-American teachers are employed in schools on the South and West sides, where school closings and teacher layoffs have been prevalent since 2001. In the last six years, 26 schools have been reconstituted, or become turnaround schools, where all faculty and staff and dismissed and replaced. Dismissals are handed down regardless of qualifications or experience, and are followed by a CPS selection process to re-staff the school.
“CPS terminates every single employee when it subjects a neighborhood school to ‘turnaround,’ regardless of qualifications and experience,” said attorney Robin Potter. “The inequity of the most recent ‘turnarounds’ is not merely perception but a reality.”
Approximately 90 percent of students in CPS’s 578 non-charter schools are minorities. Forty-two percent of these students are identified as African-American, but the African-American teaching population has gradually declined in recent years, from 40.6 percent in 2000 to 29.6 percent in 2010.
It should be noted that once CPS “turns around a school,” one of two operators are given control over the school—either the CPS Office of School Improvement (OSI) or the Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL). If the school is operated by OSI, it remains subject to the terms of the CTU labor agreement, but under AUSL—a private entity—it is no longer subject to CPS policies, Board rules or the terms of the current labor agreement. The operator is responsible for the hiring process to re-staff the school.
The Board of Education approved the turnaround of 10 schools in February 2012, stating that each of the schools was selected because of its alleged poor performance. Each of these schools was located on the South or West sides of the city, where the student and teacher populations are predominantly minority.
The school district has yet to release any information on how these 10 schools were chosen from over 180 allegedly poor performing schools in the CPS system. The Board has been roundly criticized for its lack of transparency and published criteria in selecting schools for turnaround. In fact, the Chicago Educational Facilities Task Force, a statutorily-created oversight group, called for a complete halt of turnarounds and other school action, saying, “CPS’s historic and continuing lack of transparency and evidence-based criteria for decisions resulted in the pervasive climate of public suspicion about what drives CPS to take school actions and allocate resources, often in ways perceived to be highly inequitable.”
The federal lawsuit seeks relief for all teachers affected by the 2012 and any future turnarounds—including reinstatement and damages—and importantly, an immediate moratorium on turnarounds and the appointment of an independent monitor to oversee any future turnarounds, should any occur or be permitted.
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The Chicago Teachers Union represents 30,000 teachers and educational support personnel working in the Chicago Public Schools, and by extension, the more than 400,000 students and families they serve. The CTU is an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers and the Illinois Federation of Teachers and is the third largest teachers local in the United States and the largest local union in Illinois. For more information please visit CTU’s website at www.ctunet.com.
When the sale of foreign produced automobiles began to financially impact American car sales, would it have made sense to fire everyone on the “line” and hire new?
When schools are labeled “failing”, teachers are to blame. Any success is thanks to politicians, or programs like RTTT.
The only way teachers are going to be heard is if “we lawyer up” and take it to the courts. I sent money to the CTU last fall during their strike. I hope my small contribution is being used for this! I may need to send them another donation.
Yes, I sent a donation as well. Here in CT we need to get a list of labor lawyers, choose one, keep him/her on retainer and have them ready to go on speed dial. Visit central office now and get a copy of reviews, evaluations and all documents in your file. Document all training from now on, ask questions, lots and lots of questions and get ready.
Once again, our attention is turned toward Chicago. The CTU is taking the lead and I wish them success as they face powerful foes.
This will be very interesting and years in court. Of course court is free and Chicago is flush with money. OR…….
The mayor could sit down with the union and come up with a set of acceptable rules. But, that will never work. If it is not complicated, then politicians are not interested.
Unfortunately this isn’t a dispute that can be settled by a brainstorming session about a set of acceptable rules.
Here in NYC the number of minority teachers has declined at a very steady pace since Mayor Bloomberg became dictator of NYC. However, many of the teachers being “excessed” due to “turnaround” in NYC are non-minority. In NYC it is all about the almighty dollar and that dollar is green; not white, yellow, black or brown.
Right, money doesn’t matter in Chicago at all.
I’m sure “many” of the teachers who have lost their jobs in Chicago through the turnaround process were also non-minority. That’s not a fact that’s incompatible with a disparate racial impact.
The teachers who lose their jobs in turnarounds tend to be outspoken with independent teaching styles.
The Chicago teachers have my support and deepest admiration.
And so ……. The law suits begin.
Marge
First and foremost, go CTU – get the bastards any way you can.
But something seems to be getting overlooked here. If most (all?) of the closing schools are in minority areas, why does it follow that the closings are disproportionately affecting minority teachers? Perhaps the discrimination issue runs deeper than the school closing issue? Why are black teachers over-represented at predominantly black schools and under-represented at predominantly white schools? I suppose to some extent it’s preference – blacks may chose to give back to their own communities. But I don’t imagine that explains it all. I think there’s a certain sentiment that black teachers are “good enough” for black kids, but not for white kids. Perhaps the lawsuit should dig deeper than school closings and look at application and hiring records at CPS.
Here is more information and links to legal documents:
http://preaprez.wordpress.com/2012/12/27/statement-and-documents-of-chicago-teachers-union-on-the-suit-charging-cps-with-racial-discrimination/
There is a longstanding and proud tradition of African American teachers and administrators wanting to work with minority children to help them achieve. To provide excellent role models who care.
It’s a little bit of both.
Some black teachers want to work in schools similar to those they attended. People may want to do that regardless of their race.
Some black teachers are pigeonholed into the predominately black schools whether they want to teach there or not.
The CTU was successful before using this tactic as the school closings and “turnarounds” resulted in a younger, whiter staff. That is how the current leadership got it- they won that lawsuit. Godspeed to them
I’ve long felt that the courts would rescue teachers from many of these unfair labor practices. Because most teachers are peaceful, they are reluctant to go to court, but sometimes even the gentlest of people have to fight. Thanks to Chicago teachers for doing so. My guess is this is the beginning of many lawsuits.
Good for CTU as they seem to be the only large teachers union with any sense at all. None of this is happening by accident it is all part of a plan and CTU has put a wrench in their works. Even top bully Emmanuel has met his match. Lewis et al will not be bullied anymore and now he knows it. Exposing them for what they are is what it is all about. It does not matter if they call themselves democrats or republicans it is what you are all about. If you are for corporatization and privatization it is time to leave and find a job where it is acceptable to be greedy and take what is not yours. Thank you once again CTU.
I know that my former school will be targeted as a turnaround school because they are currently a PI +5 school and all of their AYP targeted goals were not met. We even discussed this issue at the November, 2012 UTLA (United Teachers of Los Angeles) meeting where I mentioned that this turnaround process or magnetization process or however else you want to phrase it, is a weeding process first and foremost. The more experienced and higher salaried teachers go to the left and the younger, less costly teachers may go to the right. This same process was used as part of Hitler’s Final Solution, which is again being used by LAUSD, the Board of Education, the union, Tygstad, Schwab & Trygstad, Superior Court Judges, and the list goes on and on.
The only difference between Chicago and Los Angeles are in kind. Chicago is suing for racial discrimination, whereas Los Angeles needs to be suing for age and ethnic discrimination. At my former school site, the Jewish principal got rid of 10 teachers in 2 years with a staff of only 14 teachers. Of those 10 teachers, 9 were white, and of those 9 white teachers, 5 were Jewish, and out of those 5, 4 were female and one was male. I am the last female and Jewish teacher on staff.
What happened to Europe will also happen to Los Angeles. In 50 years or so, someone will lament that the city’s: economy, culture, and educational public institutions have not been the same since the turn of the 21st century. Some changes are permanent: just like the Nazis, who engraved six numbers on the inside of a forearm to organize and murder Jewish victims systematically, LAUSD “leaders,” are dismissing teachers because of their six employee numbers. Who says history never repeats itself?
Many teachers are being abused by LAUSD drones and are living in fear. This is not happening in yesteryear’s Soviet Russia, Berlin or in Auschwitz, this is happening right now, in 2012 in Los Angeles, California.
I think the Mayans were right on target.
This must be parody.
The Chicago teachers are an inspiration. Their courage is an example for others to follow.
Once again the corrupt rich and powerful on the school board are up to there usual tricks . Go union! Workers of the world unite!