Thesis:
The Chicago public school system in Chicago is leaving a lot of its students behind, students are no longer the main priority of the school system. Students have no longer become the main focus of the Chicago Public School system. This is due to the fact that there is so much corruption in the system already. In order to make any impact on the students the Chicago Public School system believes they need to clean up their management which has made some impact in the past months. The teachers have been able to make some headway on contract decisions, but still have more to do.
Evidence:
I have a lot of personal experience with CPS but things really started going downhill after 7th grade. During 7th grade, I worked really hard to get As and Bs; I also worked to get a high score on the academic high school placement test. I met all the requirements for my top schools but I didn't get any of them. This really made me upset because there are only a select amount of schools in Chicago that really provide their students with a great education. This then forces other students to go to schools that are underfunded and not equipped to help all learners. I also know that I am not the only one with this experience and many of my fellow Senn students have said they feel their future has been compromised by the Chicago Public School system. A lot of the times the issue is not that teachers are constantly failing a student, but they are just letting them pass the class before they actually understand the content and are ready to move on to the next level.
The communication between CPS’ Central office and the teachers is so poor that they are unable to come up with a contract that teachers and Central office can’t agree on a contract that works for teachers and CPS. Within these contracts the students are not brought up at all. Students are no longer the main priority for CPS and yet there are kids in schools who are not getting adequate lunches, something that is a necessity to make sure kids can focus on their learning be healthy and stay awake in class.
“The show of force by the union's rank and file comes three days after a 40-person bargaining team unanimously voted down a four-year contract offer from Chicago Public Schools.”
By CTU Communications
“Why Officers Propose an April 1 Day of Action”
http://www.ctunet.com/blog
MARCH 17, 2016
“May 15, 2015, was an important day in the world of Chicago’s city finances. On that day the city reached a deal with Barclays to take over a $100 million soured bet on an interest rate swap. Inked mostly in the early 2000s, these specialty financial products backfired after the 2008 financial crisis, saddling Chicago taxpayers with hundreds of millions of dollars in fees.”
Thousands Rally Downtown for Chicago Teachers Union
Chicago Tribune
February 5th, 2016
“This after the announcement Thursday from CPS that teachers must take three unpaid furlough days by the end of the school year, a move to help balance the budget.”
Chicago Teachers Union Consider Strike in Response To Furlough Days.
WGN News
MARCH 4, 2016
Antithesis:
CPS may argue that the reason why they are unable to settle on a contract with the Chicago Teacher's Union is because Illinois does not have a budget and this has really messed with the Chicago Public School system’s ability to balance a budget that can equally support students and teachers. On top of all of these financial contracts the former CEO of CPS, Barbara Byrd-Bennett was making deals and getting kickbacks from district contracts. She was literally stealing money needed for schools and right out of the hands of students. CPS is at such a low point because they can't even trust the leaders not to steal money from an organization responsible for the first 18 years of this city’s children's education and growth.
Synthesis:
Both CPS and the CTU need to be making more of a compromise and balancing the power in CPS better. CPS teachers are some of the highest paid teachers in the country. A lot of them get paid more than most private school teachers throughout the city. And at the end of the day the ones who are suffering the most are the students. It's not the job of students to fix the problems, it is up to adults to come together and resolve the issues facing the city's school system. We need to recenter our thinking around the students and not how much money people are making over each other.
Both CPS and the CTU need to be making more of a compromise and balancing the power in CPS better. CPS teachers are some of the highest paid teachers in the country. A lot of them get paid more than most private school teachers throughout the city. And at the end of the day the ones who are suffering the most are the students. It's not the job of students to fix the problems, it is up to adults to come together and resolve the issues facing the city's school system. We need to recenter our thinking around the students and not how much money people are making over each other.
For more on my topic: http://prezi.com/cbo7fursyhpv/
Good topic! Make sure all of your citations are correct. Proof read and look over one last time.
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