Ramifications of Teacher's Strike

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Remember: I can only give you some ideas and sources. Here at Brain Mass, I cannot do the work for you.
I CAN, however, make your life much easier by helping you to organize your thoughts.

For some sources (that actually give opinions rather than just reporting):

http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/19/us/illinois-chicago-teachers-strike/index.html

http://news.yahoo.com/chicago-teachers-strike-why-rahm-emanuels-court-gambit-212907276.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-leadership/how-rahm-emanuel-handled-the-chicago-teachers-strike/2012/09/19/e92f50ec-0273-11e2-91e7-2962c74e7738_story.html

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443524904577651533203955546.html

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-chicago-teachers-strike-20120911,0,1301512.story

Summary of the issues:

- Teacher evaluation system the unions opposed (using standardized tests to penalize teachers, this is THE issue).
- Teacher evaluation system: teachers can be penalized if they are overseeing low performing schools.
Obama (and Emmanuel) both hold that there needs to be some financial penalty for schools that are under-performing the national average.
- The unions claim that it is not the fault of teachers if kids don't want to learn, or they get no positive reinforcement at home.
- It seems that both arguments are right. If anything, using test score performance might give the district schools reason to "fudge" the numbers to avoid a penalty.
- Obama and Emmanuel both hold that accountability needs to hit them in the pocketbook (it should be noted that these reform plans had been part of the Republican Party's approach to education for a long time. Obama calls it his "race to the top" program).
- 17.6% raise given to teachers over 4 years (union wanted 30%)
- No increases in health insurance taken out of salary
- School year extended (unions against)
- Laid off ...