September 17, 2012

Chapter 26 supports the Chicago Teachers Union in their strike for equality of all students and improved services for all students. Mayor Rahm Emanuel got laws passed limiting the teachers right to strike to economic issues. The teachers had to strike to bring all issues out into the open. Over half of Chicago Public School students live at or below the poverty line. 160 schools have no libraries, and 140 of those are on the south side. 17,000 students are homeless. The schools, especially on the south and west side are falling apart. Elementary school classes, especially in the non-white areas have 40+ students. Social workers and nurses are almost non-existant. Chicago is the most militarized school system in the country with some high schools dedicated to branches of the military. The strike is aboutthe effects of poverty. Emanuel's "solution" is closing neighborhood schools, adding charter schools and evaluating kids and teachers on test scores.