CPS Hits 20th Day without Accounting for Teacher Rehires and School Staffing, CPS Denies 100% of Union Grievances
In spite of receiving $100 million from the U.S. Department of Education to rehire 2,000 teachers and support personnel fired during the summer of 2010 and a pending lawsuit disputing the legality of those firings, Rachel Resnick, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Director of Labor Relations, has denied repeated requests from the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) for a full accounting of educators fired during the summer of 2010 who have or have not been rehired and any new district hires to date.
On this, the 20th day of the regular school year when CPS historically recalibrates school staffing by hiring additional educators or conducting lay-offs due to decreased student enrollment, CPS simply states without documentation that 630 of the 1322 teachers fired have been rehired. CPS officials have gone so far as to claim a smooth start to the school year. According to CTU Staff Coordinator Jackson Potter, “CPS’ claims don’t jibe with our schools’ on-the-ground reality. As of 10 days ago, 70% of schools surveyed reported overcrowded classrooms and one-third had classrooms without permanently assigned teachers. CPS cannot account for the most important function it serves: ensuring that qualified, experienced teachers are at the head of every classroom and that those classrooms do not breach class size limits.”
According to Sara Echevarria, CTU Grievance Department Coordinator, since July 1, 2010, the Chicago Teachers Union has filed grievances for over 270 teachers who were fired without due process. CPS has denied 100% of those grievances. “The system is rigged – starting at the top with an unelected school board down through the ranks of CPS. These summer firings gave principals the cover of darkness to carry out retaliatory firings and continue to hire their cronies. CPS is shooting itself in the foot and our students will suffer the consequence of overcrowded classrooms headed by inexperienced teachers,” said Potter.
