The Chicago Teachers Union called on public-spirited citizens across the state to urge the State Senate to vote for legislation on behalf of Chicago’s students, teachers, and public schools.
The end of the session in Springfield draws nigh. Please make calls to Springfield today & tomorrow for public education, teachers, (Chicago and the rest of the state too), and for progressive state revenue, 1-217-782-2000:
From the CTU:
“Since 2010, the Chicago Teachers Union has recognized that our path forward—while not easy—is clear. Our school communities must have a different governing structure, progressive revenue for a new funding formula and a stronger voice for educators in order to secure the schools Chicago children deserve.
“We are working to unwind harmful legislative actions that have created a second-tier school district, and resulted in declining revenue and corrupt governance. Over the past month, several CTU-backed bills have passed out committee and need your support to pass out of the House chamber.
“Once again, the bill to decommission the unelected and unaccountable Illinois State Charter School Commission—HB768 (Welch)—passed out of the House with a vote of 61-46. Call the Senate
“The majority of the members—63-54— of the Illinois House of Representatives agree that Chicago Teachers deserve their voice. The House advanced HB1253 (Tabares) to the Senate. The bill will restore the full collective bargaining rights of Chicago educators. In 1995, a Republican-controlled Illinois General Assembly along with a Republican governor enacted legislation that was designed to undermine collective bargaining rights for teachers only in the city of Chicago. This legislation contributed greatly to oversized classrooms; the loss of experienced teachers; the decline of Black and Latino teachers through runaway privatization. Call the Senate
“HB3720 (Harper) is a tax increment finance (TIF) reform bill that will bring true transparency to TIFs and provide funds for special education and trauma services in our schools. The bill passed the House with a veto proof majorityof 75-39. Call the Senate
“SB1719 (Senator Daniel Biss) is a bill that will establish a privilege tax on private equity and hedge funds. These millionaires and billionaires earn about $4.8 billion per year in under-taxed income. SB1719 will allow the state of Illinois to capture the revenue lost through this loophole and provide an estimated $500 million per year.
“From other teacher and grass roots groups:
“A) HB 3393 – Close Rauner’s Tax Loopholes – specifically the Carried Interest Loophole Call both the House and the Senate, Madigan has blocked this by placing it in the Rules Committee – so please call his office as well.
“B) HB 1774 This is for the Elected School Board for Chicago – we must move this bill but Madigan stopped it in the House and put it into the Rules Committee – Call the House and Madigan to get this moving.
“C) HB 3567 Cap the expansion of charters in financially strapped school districts – yahoo! Madigan has blocked this one as well so please call the House and Madigan.”
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Diane Ravitch's blog 
What a joke. Demand a raise and get it and then expect the rest of the state to foot the bill.
Reading comprehension issues much? That’s what you got out of this post? No wonder you’re so hostile to education. Yours apparently didn’t take.
🙂 🙂 🙂
Also, IL readers–HB 768 (this bill decreases the power of the IL Charter School Commission in overriding local school board decisions to not approve c.s. application) passed out of House on to Senate–Hearing tomorrow 2:00 PM (under Executive Committee). Go to My.ilga.gov–on left side, under Senate, click on committee hearings–list will come up–go to the Executive Committee 2:00 PM line & all the way to the right is the witness slip icon–click that on to fill out the witness slip. Follow all instructions (in all boxes asking who you are–even for group/organization {unless you are representing one}, type “self”) Click on PROPONENT, & click on “Record of Appearance Only.” If you have time, call the committee members, & do call your State
Senator.
The 100th IL General Assembly will adjourn on May 31st, so watch that site DAILY to see if your bills come up. (It will seem silly, but you’ll also have to check all the committees listed that day in both House & Senate. Bills are often under committees you wouldn’t think they’d be.It really doesn’t take too much longer, though, to find them.)
HB 768 has a LOT of slips filed thus far, & the majority are proponents. That having been said, do keep them coming in, because the sponsors & committee members count these slips. They ARE important, & they’re a good way to let the legislators know what their constituents want and, in this case, what the children of Illinois need.
Illinois has a big problem in regard to charters. House Speaker Madigan, a DINO, is a big charter supporter; he even took a trip to ztirkey at Gulen’s expense. Governor Rauner, a hedge founder, loves charters and even has a charter named for him.
Thanks, Diane–yes we DO. A bill just passed in the Senate (& guess who all majority-passed it?–Senate DINOs) to change the school-funding formula, using the evidence-based model! Wait, what?! Did that even work in the tiny state of Vermont? (No.) Plus–many amendments were tacked on–the bill came in–as of late–at 511 pages, & 5 page in it eliminated $9,000 state funding to school districts per special ed. teacher/personnel–so, that decimates special education in Illinois.
And then what will happen: schools with children in need of services will produce “failing” results, will be shut down & will–voila!–be replaced by charter schools. This will all be done under the guise of “equally” funding poorer school districts, Robin Hooding property tax money from wealthier ones (& some not so wealthy–one area–K-8 & high school districts–having a fair amount of free-lunch students stands to lose $12 million-so school districts that were operating fairly well will become middlin’).
Anyway, you readers are smart…you get the picture.
&–just like the quick passage of the ACA–the ILL Gen. Assembly is trying to meat-grinder bills through (last day G.A. in session is May 31st, then summer adjournment), no matter how bad they are or how much they hurt the citizens.
But this will get them a budget w/o having to tax the 1% or corporations–no stinkin’ progressive tax for Illinois. Just–yay!–we’ve got a budget, we’ve done our jobs, we can go home.
And they have the nerve to ask teachers what they do with all that “free” time summer vacation.