INSIDE:

•Whatmakesagreatdelegate?•TakingontheTurnarounds•TheYearAhead

Vol. 75, No. 4 January 2012

The Official Publication of the Chicago Teachers Union

www.ctunet.com

UNION TEACHER

Staff• KenzoShibata

Editor• NathanGoldbaum

Associate Editor• LindaNewsome

Advertising Manager

Officers

• KarenLewisPresident

• JesseSharkeyVice President

• MichaelBrunsonRecording Secretary

• KristineMayleFinancial Secretary

TheChicago Union Teacher ispublishedeighttimesayearinSeptember/October,November/December,January,February,March,April,MayandJune.TheChicago Union Teacher istheofficialpublicationoftheChicagoTeachersUnion,whichistheexclusivebargainingagentforteachers,schoolclerks,libraryassistants,vision/audiometrictechnicians,teacherassistants,schoolcommunityrepresentatives,andrelatedservicespersonnel.ChicagoTeachersUnion•Local1•AmericanFederationofTeachers,AFL-CIO.TheChicago Union Teacher isaffiliatedwiththeInternationalLaborCommunicationsAssociationandtheAFTCommunicationsNetwork.ChicagoTeachersUnionaffiliationsincludetheChicagoFederationofLabor(CFL),theIllinoisStateFederationofLabor-CongressofIndustrialOrganizations(ISFL-CIO),theAmericanFederationofLabor-CongressofIndustrialOrganizations(AFL-CIO),theIllinoisFederationofTeachers(IFT),andtheAmericanFederationofTeachers(AFT).

222 Merchandise Mart Plaza • Suite 400 Chicago, IL 60654-1016

312-329-9100•Switchboard312-329-6251•NewspaperOffice

E-mail: KenzoShibata@ctulocal1.com NathanGoldbaum@ctulocal1.com LindaNewsome@ctulocal1.com

WebSite:www.ctunet.com

Chicago Union Teacher

Chicago Teachers Union

ContentsPresident’sMessage............................. 3IWillGetJustice.................................... 4Delegates:TheLifeblood....................... 5SeeingtheForestandtheTrees........... 5FightingClosings&Turnarounds....... 6TechnicalEducators............................. 6TakingBacktheBoardMeeting......... 6CasalsElementary................................ 6TheYearAhead.................................... 8DisplacedTeachers............................... 8InDefenseoftheMicCheck............... 9QuestResearch................................... 10PensionCounterattack........................ 12DelegatesNotPresent...................... 13Nurse’sNote:Lice.............................. 14InMemoriam....................................... 15

Sisters and Brothers,Fifteen years of the school closures, turnarounds, consolidations

and charter expansion has had a devastating impact on our students and the neighborhoods in which they live. The current Chicago Public School (CPS) administration proposes more of the same.

Shutting down schools, firing teachers, lunchroom workers and security guards, destabilizes our students and only furthers the education divide in this city. Dispersing students from the safe confines of their community into other neighborhoods across competing gang boundaries is unwise. Lengthening the school day in under-served elementary and high schools without providing those campuses with substantial financial resources, a well thought out public safety plan, wrap-around services and staff is bad education policy.

That is why I am so proud of the hundreds of teachers, paraprofessionals, delegates and school leaders who have created dynamic neighborhood coalitions to fight current CPS school actions. Together we have led fights in more than 10 diverse communities across Chicago. We know that when we fight back we can win, but if we never fight back we’ll never win.

Every student deserves a coherent curriculum, high standards, smaller class sizes, good discipline, parental support, a professional teaching force and well-run schools. We believe parents, students, educators, and community leaders must be equal participants in determining how goals and policies are set; how resources are allocated; how curriculum is developed; and how our neighborhood schools operate.

This is why the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) has been vigilant in its fight agaist the CPS continued use of failed school experiments that have hurt our students, demoralized our parents and demonizes our professionals. Wealthy school board members, CPS executives and dispassionate politicians continue to ignore pleas of thousands of parents, teachers and community leaders who demand more say in what happens in their schools. No one, it seems, is accountable to us.

The current Board and CPS administration has taken its disdain toward parents, teachers and school workers to an astounding low: During a protest by more than 100 outraged taxpayers at the Board’s December 14 meeting, President David Vitale publicly reprimanded a parent, who moments earlier had led a passionate chorus of voices against CPS school closings, by sarcastically saying he hoped the father of six had “gotten that out of his system.” A day later, CPS Chief Administrative Officer Tim Cawley confessed to the Chicago Tribune that the District intentionally starves neighborhood schools of critical resources for up to ten years before it intervenes by closing the campuses or turning turn them over to the Board’s politically connected friends.

This is why CTU supports democratic governance of public schools. Chicago is the only district in Illinois without an elected school board. Because public schools are responsible to the public, it is possible through elected school boards, open meetings, transparent record keeping and redress through the courts to ensure that traditional public schools provide access for all children.

If you aren’t active in your Contract Action Committee, maybe it’s time you get involved. No professional is safe until we are all safe Contact your delegate today to find out how you can join the fight for the schools our students and professionals deserve.

President’sMessage

In Solidarity,

Karen GJ Lewis, NBCT

ChicagoUnionTeacher•January2012•3

4•ChicagoUnionTeacher•January2012

As a Union delegate I’ve always made myself available to anyone on the staff who needs help with a problem. I would never describe myself as intentionally adversarial with administration; I just seek fairness and adherence to the contract. However, from my experience and the experiences of many other teachers I know in CPS, this is not good enough for many new principals in the system. This became clear to me in 2008 when Florence Gonzales became the principal of Washington High School.

Immediately, my coworkers started visiting me about contract violations. As their delegate, I attempted to resolve these issues with Ms. Gonzales. When that did not work, I filed grievances. This did not lead her to change course; she continued her bullying behavior with staff, which led to a high turnover and a destabilization of the school community. The climate of the school became extremely hostile to the point where students, unprompted staged a walk out in protest of her actions.

During my second year under Ms. Gonzales, I was moved out of my ELL position and

placed into a Special Education position. This was not my preference because I had no professional experience in the area I was now assigned to teach. I was also assigned to teach in five different classrooms with five different course preparations throughout my program starting that year. I’ve had my car vandalized; I’ve received hostile anonymous letters and have been repeatedly harassed. Each time I endured this treatment, I continued to advocate for the other staff members that were being mistreated.

Last December, I filed a grievance over a serious safety issue in the building regarding a gun. The same day, Ms. Gonzalez began the “E-3” remediation process with me. This means that she declared my performance unsatisfactory and I would immediately need to start a process of remediation after 25 years in the system. Although I felt this was unfair and retaliatory, I took the process very seriously and did everything my consulting teacher advised me to do. From the positive feedback I received, I believe I successfully implemented the suggested techniques.

However, the administration did not follow through with the process as described in the contract and Ms. Gonzalez declared that my unsatisfactory rating will stand, and she has suspended me without pay until my hearing at the Illinois State Board of Education. Instead of showing me the dignity of letting me finish a day of teaching, Ms. Gonzalez had me escorted out of the building at 2:35 in front of students and my colleagues. I have since filed grievances over the breaches in the E-3 process.

Although I am now suspended, I continue my work as the school’s delegate. I feel that it is no coincidence that this suspension will keep me out of the building during the upcoming delegate elections. I am encouraging my colleagues to run and continue fighting for justice at George Washington High School. I believe that justice will ultimately prevail and the abuses of this principal will be made right by the people responsible. I still have faith in our Union and believe that all our brothers and sisters at Washington will one day get the dignity and respect that they deserve.

IwillgetjusticeBy John Whitfield, George Washington High School

The authors of Organizing Schools for Improvement make it clear that school improvement can be fully realized only at the building level and when teachers and paraprofessionals are given support by the administration. Such support will be maximized when teachers work in an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect in relation to their fellow teachers and administrators, and where teachers and support staff are treated as colleagues whose input is welcomed and taken seriously.

The authors came to these conclusions by identifying several factors that explain whether or not Chicago public elementary schools improved their scores on reading, math, and attendance over a seven year period.

The study was conducted by the Consortium on Chicago School Research at the University of Chicago. Findings are based chiefly upon extensive survey data obtained from students, teachers, and

principals collected annually from 390 schools. Five “essential supports” (factors) that differentiated the 100 most improved from the 100 least improved (or stagnating”) schools were discovered, together with what is essentially a sixth factor termed “relational trust” that enables the other supports. This research is important not only because of its the large amount of data, but because of its comprehensive portrait of the problems facing urban schools. This book presents us with the forest, not just a few of its trees and in a highly readable format.

The authors contend that a school’s organization has a major impact on teacher-student interactions in the classroom. Classroom learning depends substantially on how effectively a school as a social context supports teaching and student engagement. This is a very different way of viewing school improvement, which has traditionally focuses on one or two of the supports while ignoring social context.

The essential supports:

1. Coherent Instructional Guidance System

2. Professional Capacity

3. Parent-School-Community Ties

4. Student-Centered Learning Climate

5. Principal’s Leadership

Among key findings:

• Schools strong on most supports were 10 times more likely to improve than those with weak supports.

• Half the schools strong on most supports improved substantially in reading.

• No school weak on most supports improved in math.

At CTUnet.com/tracy you can read the entire article

SeeingtheForestANDtheTreesA Review of Organizing Schools for Improvement: Lessons from Chicago, (2010; University of Chicago Press) by Anthony Bryk, Penny Sebring, Elaine Allensworth, Stuart Luppescu, and John EastonBy Russ Tracy, Ph. D.

ChicagoUnionTeacher•January2012•5

By January 30, 2012, every school must elect a delegate. This position comes with great responsibility. In addition to all of the duties of a teacher, PSRP, or clinician, the delegate serves as a representative of the union, an organizer, and often a counselor. The role of the delegate is especially crucial during a contract negotiations year.

The School delegate’s duties include:

KeepingtheLinesofCommunication

Each month, the delegate is to attend a House of Delegates meeting and stay until adjournment, which is usually around 6:30 PM. This is their chance to ask questions to CTU leadership and staff. The delegate should solicit questions from staff at regularly scheduled Union meetings in the building. Each month, they will receive a packet of information to post on the Union bulletin board. They are to report back what happened at the meeting. This can be done via email, but only to staff’s personal email addresses. A good way to get to know the staff is to walk around the building, collect contact information and ask their concerns.

Union meetings must be conducted outside of school hours. They should be scheduled when it is most convenient for a majority of members. The delegate should give the principal 24-hours notice before a Union meeting.

The delegate is also in charge of distributing the Chicago Union Teacher, the CTU calendar datebook, and other official Union communications to the members.

ChairingtheProfessionalProblemsCommittee

The delegate represents educators in the building. Although principals hold great power in the buildings regarding budgeting and hiring staff, in terms of labor disputes, the delegate and the principal are on the same level, and should handle them in a collegial manner. Much of this is done through the professional problems committee. The Delegate is to hold an election for this body of four CTU members. The delegate chairs these meetings.

Organizing

Delegates are the welcome wagon for newly assigned staff. As soon as a new bargaining unit member is hired, that person should sign a union card. Regardless of whether or not they sign, they will pay dues and receive the same benefits as a regular member. However, our numbers are our power. If we want to keep the benefits that have been fought for over the years, we need to have every member in the building sign a card. “Agency fee” payers cannot vote in any contract referendum or CTU election nor can they provide input into any policy affecting their employment. Delegates are also to maintain active membership participation and involvement in Union activities.

Delegates should encourage membership to participate in shared decision-making processes through election to local school council, professional personnel advisory committee and other professional committees within the school. Although these are not official CTU bodies, they determine a host of policies that affect your staff.

Spread the responsibility around. Share responsibility for special areas such as legislation, political action, membership recruitment, and social activities with other CTU members. If your school has an Associate Delegate or PSRP Delegates, get them involved as well as your PPC committee members. Let these persons report on matters as you determine. This will add variety to your meeting

Grievances

Delegates assist bargaining unit members experience work-related problems that may become grievances. Sometimes these issues are not grievances, but can be an issue the school community can organize a fight around. In other cases, members may just need someone to confide in and discuss problems they are having at work.

UnionBusiness

Delegates conduct all CTU elections, which include officers, AFT and IFT convention delegates, associate delegates, members of the Professional Problems Committee; conducting referenda, letter writing campaigns, and polls sponsored or sanctioned by the CTU. If a principal requests a waiver of any contractual rights, it is the prerogative of the delegate to accept or deny this request. If there is no delegate at the school, there is no waiver vote. Delegates are to check and report changes of names, addresses, telephone numbers, and other information when the CTU computer printout is sent to the school.

Delegates:TheLifebloodoftheUnion

6•ChicagoUnionTeacher•January2012

ViewanddownloadphotosfromtheseandothereventsatCTUnet.com/pics

FightingClosings&TurnaroundsCTUCommunityBoardTeach-inDrawsHundredsofMembers,Parents,andCommunityLeaders

On Saturday, December 3rd over 500 parents, teachers, PSRPs, clinicians and community activists representing more than 125 Chicago Public schools attended CTU’s “Teach-in on Stopping CPS School Closings” at King College Prep High School. The event took place just days after CPS announced its lists for school closures and turnarounds for the 2012 school year.

King College Prep is located next to Price Elementary School, a campus slated for closure, which was noted by CTU President Karen Lewis’ in her keynote speech. She said that the school closure issue is a “family issue” and not just a Union issue, which is why parents, students, and community members attended. The event was co-sponsored by community organizations at the forefront of the school closings fight – Kenwood Oakland Community Organization (KOCO), Teachers for Social Justice, Action Now, Albany Park Neighborhood Council, Grassroots Collaborative, and Enlace Chicago.

During the opening plenary, KOCO’s Jitu Brown described how in his community, CPS pushed though 14 school closings and over 20 school actions, “even though there were 17 other neighborhoods with lower test scores,” according to Brown. The packed auditorium showed visible anger when Brown explained that the University of Chicago’s research shows that, “whenever you destabilize a school environment,

the kids lose nearly six months of active development.”

CTU Financial Secretary Kristine Mayle described the school closings process firsthand – her former school, Del La Cruz, was closed to make way for a charter school. Parent Angela Surnuy who has fought for Marconi school’s survival explained that we are not victims, and we must think of ourselves as victors as we defend our schools. Dr. Pauline Lipman from University of Illinois – Chicago gave a global perspective to school closings and privatization explaining that it is more of a real estate plan than an education plan.

After the opening plenary, participants participated in three different workshops. “Community Models for School Improvement” highlighted community-based solutions to school improvement that do not require shutting down a school or firing all of the workers in a building. “Creating a Plan to Protect Your School Community” was facilitated by CTU organizers and showed the steps a community can take to defend their schools. “Action Research and Power Analysis” was given by CTU’s Research Department and showed what data a school community needs to defend itself from closing or turnaround.

For information on how you can get in the fight, visit ctunet.com/closings.

On November 16-19 the Association of Career and Technical Educators (ACTE) held its 85th Annual Convention in St. Louis, Missouri. More than 200 vendors displayed materials, objects, methods and machinery to be used in Career and Technical Education (CTE) classrooms.Two members of CTU’s PAVE (Practical Arts and Vocational Education) Committee attended the convention, Antoinette Barnes and me. Attendees participated in 15 tours and more than 400 workshops.Two members of the CPS CTE Department attended, Aarti Dhumpelia and Alison Regalado. Regalado’s presentation, “Making CPE Data Useful,” explained the CPS’s new “warning early system” for identifying students who need additional attention.

Also, Shangte Shen and Mark Williams of the Illinois State Board of Education presented “Are Illinois Students ready for College/Careers?”Almost 4,000 people attended the convention. The opening keynote speaker was Sir Ken Robinson who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for services to the arts. The second speaker was Ray McNulty, formerly of the Gates Foundation.The convention was an invigorating and informative experience for the career and technical educators in attendance. For additional information on ACTE, go to http://www.acteonline.org/. If you would like to join the PAVE committee, go to ctunet.com/committees to apply.

TechnicalEducatorsConveneinSt.LouisBy Lotty Blumenthal, CTU Retiree, Sec’y of New & Related Svces., Assoc. of Career & Technical Educators

ChicagoUnionTeacher•January2012•7

CommunityandEducatorsTakeBackBoardofEducationMeeting

On December 13, 2011, over 300 parents, students, community leaders, and educators held a vigil outside of Chicago Board of Education headquarters to protest the slating of schools for turnaround or closure. About 40 parents, community activists, educators, and members of Occupy Chicago camped out in front of the Board and spent the night leading up to the monthly Board of Education meeting on December 14.

The Board of Education limits the number of seats to the meeting, so it has become necessary to get in line by 6:00 AM to speak to the Board of Education. Campers wanted to make sure that their voices were heard.

Before the first speaker could be called, the meeting was overtaken by the over 100

people who packed the meeting to speak out against school closings, turnaround and other failed CPS experiments. Leading the charge was CPS parent Adourthus McDowell who started a “mic check” – a protest tactic where one person leads a group speech targeted at an injustice. [See editorial on page 9]

CTU has called for a moratorium on all school actions and has asked the Board to include more input from parents, educators and community organizations that work in the targeted schools. At each of its 40 mandated hearings CPS has held to foster public participation there has been an overwhelming outcry against school closings, turnarounds and charter expansions.

Fulltextofthe12-14-2011BoardofEducation“MicCheck”

Parents, teachers, students and communities reject CPS failed reforms. We now know that only 18 percent of the replacement schools perform well. Most of those are selected enrollment schools run by CPS. Nearly 40% of the new schools are performance level 3, CPS’ lowest rating.

We see through the sound-bites. You have betrayed the public trust. You have failed Chicago’s children.

You pray at the altar of greed And dare call it education.

We value people over profit. Every life is precious. Our children are not product. But look at what you’ve produced

Children have died Literally and spiritually As a result of your policies You have produced chaos.

Mayor Emmanuel you should be ashamed.

Brizard, you should be ashamed. You should both be fired.

Stanford University says you have failed. The University of Chicago says you have failed. The Chicago Tribune says you have failed.Most importantly, the people know you have failed.

The definition of insanity is to repeatedly do the same thing and expect a different result.

These are our children, not yours. These are our children, not yours. We are taking our fight to the mayor! We are taking our fight to the courts! We are taking our fight to the schools! We are taking our fight to the streets!

These are our children, not corporate product.

These are our children, not corporate product!

On Monday, December 5, 2011, over 50 members of the Pablo Casals School (3501 W. Potomac) community visited Alderman Roberto Maldonado’s regular ward night as part of their campaign to stop the planned “turnaround” of their school. They were united in opposition to the CPS policy in which everyone working in a school building is fired and replaced.

The parents and school staff worked together to organize the community to attend the Alderman’s office night, however when they arrived they discovered the session was canceled at the last minute without notice. The Casals group decided to turn what they hoped to be a discussion with the alderman to a picket outside his 26th ward office in Humboldt Park. A representative from the Alderman’s office later told the group that he would meet with them on Wednesday, December 7th.

When CPS put Casals on list for a school turnaround, the parents, students, and school staff met together and devised a plan. They collected the school’s data and found

that test scores are increasing. They attended the Chicago Teachers Union’s December 3rd Teach-In on School Closings and began circulating petitions in the community to stop the turnaround.

Teacher Sharon Herod-Purham said, “We do not understand why Pablo Casals is under attack – according to the Chicago Tribune, we are a higher-performing school.” Teacher Maria Guerrero noted that, “We outscored 6 of the 11 AUSL schools… so it’s not the data … there’s a different agenda that we don’t know about [causing the turnaround].”

The Casals community can be described as the model for fighting back. Parents, students, and educators are meeting regularly and organizing a coordinated effort to save their school. We’ll keep you posted on their progress. Share your story with us! Email Chicago Union Teacher Editor Kenzo Shibata with your stories.

To watch the Pablo Casals community in action, visit the CTU TV website at CTUnet.com/TV.

Parents,residents,andCasalsSchoolfacultypicketalderman’sofficeinschool“turnaround”fight

8•ChicagoUnionTeacher•January2012

It is going to be an active year for PSRPs, clinicians, and teachers in Chicago. If we stay active, we can take charge of the changes ahead. This means staying informed and informing the other staff members at your school. The following issues will be on the front burner in 2012:

PerformanceEvaluation

The Performance Evaluation Review Act (PERA), passed in January 2010, creates a timeline for Chicago to implement a new teacher evaluation system that incorporates student growth into as much as 50 percent of the evaluation, in half of the district’s schools, by September of 2012 and the other half by September 2013. The previous CTU leadership agreed to this timeline for Chicago, which is faster than that of the rest of the state.

The rest of the state does not have to implement a teacher evaluation system until 2015 or 2016. In addition, unlike the rest of the state, the Chicago Board of Education can unilaterally impose its last best offer, even if we have serious objections to their new evaluation system. For every other school district in Illinois, if the school district and the teachers union cannot reach agreement, the district will be governed by the default model designed by the Performance Evaluation Advisory Council, composed of teachers, administrators, reform organizations and state officials.

Starting in December and January the CTU will begin a 90 day negotiating period with CPS concerning our new evaluation system. Over the last year the CTU has developed a 20 person evaluation committee with some of our most thoughtful and invested members to ask the tough questions and guide the negotiation for the benefit of Chicago teachers and students. Please check ctunet.com for regular updates.

LongerSchoolDay

While the school day is no longer a mandatory subject of bargaining, meaning the Board of Education is not required to negotiate the matter with CTU, it is likely to come up as a permissive subject of bargaining (which means we can bargain over aspects of the longer day) over the course of negotiations.

CTU will make sure that our concerns about a full and broad curriculum, compensation, art, music and P.E. programming, staffing, duty free preparation time and lunches will be forcefully presented to CPS.

Healthcare

In January, per page 212 of our 2007–2012 contract, our co-pays will increase between from 16 percent to percent.

This is part of the previous leadership’s agreement with the board that when our health care costs go above 5 percent during the year, which they did this year again, our premium increases. Please see page 201 in appendix B of the contract for more information.

ContractActionCommittees

Please get involved in the Contract Action Committees in your school to be an active participant of our contract campaign. It’s our 75th anniversary and will be an important year to pursue educational justice and equity.

The4PercentRaise

In Article 47.2 of our current contract, there is language that enables the Board to deny our 4 percent negotiated raise when there is not a “reasonable expectation” to fund that raise. We have a grievance in the current system that challenges the Board’s interpretation of “reasonable expectation.” However, it was the current contract gave the Board the power to vote on funding our raises annually.

GeneralContractNegotiations

CTU has begun initial conversations with the Board of Education about our next contract. We have assembled a large bargaining team of 30 members with 15 alternates that will engage in negotiation training in December and begin formally meeting with Board representatives in January. Stay tuned for monthly updates from the bargaining team.

TheYearAheadBy Jackson Potter, CTU Staff Coordinator

After being displaced by CPS, I joined and later became the chair of the CTU Displaced Teacher Committee. We’ve seen first hand the process in both Springfield and the courts and it has been an enlightening experience. The teachers who have been affected by the CPS layoff policy have bonded as colleagues and have turned to each other for support.

We followed CTU’s federal lawsuit regarding layoff and recall from its onset. First we filled the courtroom in the 7th Circuit District in Chicago. Judge David H. Coar listened and determined that CPS illegally terminated tenured teachers without due process. This was a victory. Of course the Board appealed the decision.

That took us to the hearing at the appellate court where three judges heard the details of our honorable dismissals. Once again the judges agreed with Judge Coar. CPS then chose to appeal the appeal.

On November 22nd, we then travelled to Springfield to be part of the final hearing before the Illinois Supreme Court. The role of the Supreme Court hearing was to clarify Illinois School Code. We knew the importance of showing the seven judges that we

DisplacedTeachersUnite!By Pat Gerard Chair of the Displaced Teacher Committee

ChicagoUnionTeacher•January2012•9

This editorial by Chicago Union Teacher editor Kenzo Shibata appeared in Huffington Post on 12/20/2011 [ctunet.com/huffingtonpost]

After years of attending Chicago Board of Education monthly meetings, on December 14 I felt like I left one where the community was actually heard, by the public and by the Board. During the “public participation” segment of the meeting, a lone voice stopped the business-as-usual.

From Chicago Sun-Times:

Adourthus McDowell, a Chicago Public School parent and member of the Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization, began the takeover by rising from his chair and interrupting a presentation by Chicago Schools CEO Jean-Claude Brizard on a new $660 million capital construction plan.

Using a “mic check” technique borrowed from Occupy Wall Street protestors, McDowell read from a prepared text in short bursts so comrades planted around the room could repeat his words and thereby amplify them for the crowd.

See page 7 for full text of the “Mic Check” script.

The action continued. Parents, educators, and community activists repeated Mr. McDowell’s speech and were escorted out of the room one-by-one.

Some local bloggers and politicians have become highly critical of the “mic check” tactic, where public meetings and events are upstaged by the voice of those who feel voiceless. On its face, it does appear to be rude and counterproductive.

This would be true if these public meetings really were about providing community input. I’ve attended countless public meetings, both as an activist and as a reporter. Board of Education “public participation” segments are two hours where taxpayers are allowed 2 minutes each to describe decades of neglect or outright sabotage of their school communities, as bemused members of the Board of Education play on their Blackberries.

Ever have that nightmare where something awful is happening and you can’t scream for help?

For the parents, students, and educators who take a day off of work to attend these meetings, this becomes a reality.

This particular meeting was held in the wake of CPS’ announcement to close and turnaround more schools. Many came to defend their school communities. They were prepared with data and research to show why the Board should halt their plans.

From Chicagoist.com:

A study by UIC professors last year showed that the turnaround model espoused initially by CPS during the Richard M. Daley administration has served largely to re-segregate the school system.

[Study by Pauline Lipman and Rico Gutstein of University of Illinois-Chicago: http://www.ctunet.com/ceje022011]

The Board of Education didn’t get to hear any of this at the meeting, as James Warren describes in the New York Times:

David Vitale retreated into executive session. Mr. Vitale is a banker who was picked by Rahm Emanuel to be president of the Chicago Board of Education.

This was after the Mr. Vitale, much like a bad first-year teacher,

…told the crowd that he hoped they’d “gotten it out of their system,” prompting more jeers.

“We need you out of our system,” one man yelled back. [Chicago Tribune]

It seems that when confronted by the public they chose to serve, the Board of Education retreats. After the Board members left the room, Vice President Jesse Sharkey, who taught for over a decade in CPS schools explained their cowardice,

“I’ve had many hard days as a teacher and ... you can’t just take your ball and go home,” Sharkey said, addressing the empty seats.

When you are working on changing a system led by the richest people in the City who have no patience for the people whose taxes pay their stipends and subsidize their friends, you have to come up with new tactics. Had the community members played by the Board’s rules last week, the meeting would have been just another one like countless others. Motions would be passed; communities would be destroyed as members of the Board could continue playing Words with Friends.

InDefenseoftheMicCheck

were the faces of the laid off teachers. The judges would make a decision that would forever affect the people in front of them. We are not data on a spreadsheet. We are not merely a statistic. We are dedicated teachers who belong in the classroom.

CTU attorney Tom Geoghegan spoke passionately about why CPS should bring us back to the classroom. This was in stark contrast to CPS’ cold and unemotional lawyer. Mr. Geoghegan argued that there is a difference between layoff and discharge with cause. Discharge is permanent, however in our case a CPS layoff, without a recall policy, can result in the end of a teaching career.

One of the judges restated the fact that CPS put dedicated and veteran teachers on the street while the Board of Ed hired new and inexperienced teachers to replace us. Our lawyer emphasized that the burnout rate for new teachers was typically within 4 years. Mr.Geoghegan made the most compelling argument that this tradeoff was a disservice to the children. The CPS lawyer never mentioned the students, as if they do not exist.

We are still awaiting an opinion from the Supreme Court. Check ctunet.com for updates.

DisplacedTeachersUnite!By Pat Gerard Chair of the Displaced Teacher Committee

10•ChicagoUnionTeacher•January2012

In the last 20 years, the United States. has made a dramatic shift toward an over-reliance on standardized test scores as a measure of teaching effectiveness and school improvement. Prior to the “accountability era,” the educational reforms with the most momentum were influenced by the Civil Rights Movement. Desegregation, affirmative action, and programs like Head Start, and Preschool for All challenged the inequities of American society. Teenage Black students through the late 1970s and 1980s experienced the most significant growth during that time.

The era of accountability through No Child Left Behind and now Race to the Top has greatly inflated test-taking and “test-prep” curricula without evidence of corresponding real learning. Corporate reformers use the academic achievement gap to justify increasing the frequency and consequences of high-stakes testing. Accountability based on standardized-tests has led to reduced graduation rates among students of color, narrowed the curriculum, discouraged

students from enrolling in college and ill-prepared our students for fulfilling careers and civic engagement.

CPS teachers have reported being forced into teaching their students testing strategies, at the expense of teaching content and process which enable students to meet standards. Constant high-stakes testing causes students to interpret all their assessments as summative rather than as interactions meant to help their learning process, eroding the value of formative assessments to the teacher and student. Standardized testing and accountability policies make test results useless for making valid inferences about real student learning and hurt students.

The reforms of the accountability era lead to neither short-term successes nor long-term prosperity for students. The way to achieve sustainable improvement is through long-term commitment to developing teaching quality, empowering community and stakeholder representatives, mandating

smaller class sizes, improving resource access for schools and communities in need and implementing a joyous, critical, inquiry-based and creative learning experience for students.

For the people who control the majority of wealth and the direction of public policy, large investment in educating the majority of working-class children does not make economic sense. If the standards and livelihoods they envision for our children are limited to “McJobs” it seems they do not need the kinds of inter-disciplinary, authentic project-based learning and critical inquiry that are prevalent in the prestigious schools the upper-class send their children to. Teachers and parents have much higher expectations and demands for the public education of all children.

To read the full report, go to ctunet.com/testing

ReportonStandardizedTests:TheEraof“Accountability”HasLedtoUnsuccessfulReformsBy Pavlyn Jankov, CTU Researcher

TEACHERSUNIONQUEST CENTER

TEACHERSUNIONQUEST CENTER

CTU/CSU Spring ProgramJanuary 20 – March 24

MATH 5040 Number Theory for Middle School Teachers (3)

EDUCATION 5440 Philosophy, Curriculum, and Instructional Methods for the Middle School (3)

PSYC 5210 Adolescent Psychology for Middle Grade Teachers (3)

CTUnet.com/CSU

BECOMEthe force for change.

Everyone turns to teachers—for knowledge, encouragement and leadership. But where can teachers turn—for deeper expertise, specialized skills and career advancement? DePaul’s School of Education offers full-time, part-time and online programs that will give you the leadership tools, educational models and multicultural insights you need to succeed.

We recently expanded our array of programs to include:

• Online Educational Leadership• Online Curriculum Studies with Type 75• Online Type 75 Certification Only• Online Special Education (LBS1) Endorsement Only• Early Childhood-Bilingual Bicultural Education-ESL Endorsement Only

BECOME MORE at depaul.edu/teachers

The Chicago Teachers Union Quest Center in partnership with DePaul University announces the formation of a new cohort for certified teachers interested in obtaining the Early Childhood Bilingual/ESL endorsement starting Spring 2012.

VISIT CTUNET.COM/DEPAUL

TEACHERSUNIONQUEST CENTER

ChicagoUnionTeacher•January2012•11

ForPrestige,Success&AcclaimMake Us Your Choice...

Nurturing Teacher LeadershipATTEND OUR INFORMATIONAL MEETING:

Tuesday,January244:00p.m.to7:30p.m.CTU Quest Center, 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza, Suite 400

A PROVEN NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION SUPPORT PROGRAM

TEACHERSUNIONQUEST CENTER

REQUIREMENTS:•  3 years teaching at current certificate level

•  2 year commitment to teach in CPS after certification

For further information, or to register, call Lynn Cherkasky-Davis at 312-329-6274or e-mail LynnCherkasky-Davis@ctulocal1.com

More information can also be found at www.ctunet.com/nbct

NATIONALBOARDCERTIFICATION—WEWILLGETYOUTHERE

96%SuccessRate!National Board Certified Teacher Mentors33 Hours Graduate Credit OfferedRigorous Professional DevelopmentThirteen‑Year Proven Track Record$1,750 Pensionable Yearly Raise per CTU/CPS Bargaining Agreement Nationally Acclaimed Support Program — Established 1997 Recertification Requirements MetIllinois Master Certification24/7 Computer Lab AccessLeadership Opportunities Available12 Lane Placement CreditsMaster’s Degree Options

Winter/Spring.2012ProfessionalDevelopment

CTUnet.com/PDFor further information, contact Debbie Pazera at 312-329-6271.

All Quest courses are suitable to meet the ISBE 20% requirement for regular education teachers of students with specialized needs.

Three Hours Graduate Level CPS Lane Placement Credits and/or 45 IL Recertification CPDUs/PTPs • $195 and book fee/materials fee, if required (see individual course description)

Registration deadline for the 2012 Spring Professional Development is January 17.

NEWTEACHERS! Organizing the Elementary Classroom for Teaching and Learning This course is tailored to the needs of teachers in their first five years. (3 Lane Placement Credits) - Chicago Teachers Union, 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza, Suite 400, Chicago, IL 60654. Tuesdays, Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28, March 6, 13, 20, 27, April 10, 17, 24, May 1, 8, 15, 22, 2012 from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Nicole Cesario, NBCT, Instructor. This course encompasses the fundamental professional responsibilities required of all elementary teachers: classroom management and community building, establishing routines, participation in the professional community, managing and monitoring student learning, communication with families, and motivating students. Participants will study theories and methods related to these aspects of teaching and will bridge theory and practice by exploring their practical applications in the classroom and school.

Encouraging the Discouraged Learner (3 Lane Placement Credits) Site TBA, Thursdays, Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23, March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, April 12, 19, 26, May 3, 10, 17, 2012 from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Eulene Carter, NBCT, Instructor. This course is designed to help classroom teachers develop teaching strategies that utilize methods/materials to capture the students’ individual interests. Issues as to why students become discouraged and how to engage and encourage them will be explored. A book is required for this course.

TEACHERSUNIONQUEST CENTER

12•ChicagoUnionTeacher•January2012

ATTENTIONJUNERETIREES!

We’ve heard that many people are considering retirement this June as our five-year contract draws to an end. For some, this is a well-considered decision, involving years of planning. For others, it comes as a somewhat more impulsive response to the way that their principal or CPS in general is treating them. If you or a friend is in the latter category, please read this crucial information.

CONCERNS(PotentialLiabilities)

• The school board’s vote to rescind our 4% raise has already lowered potential pensions for future retirees since our retirement funds are based on the highest consecutive salary four years out of the last 10 years you work. For almost everyone, this is their last four years on the job.

• If you’re desperate to ‘get out’ but are not yet 60 (or do not have the 33.95 years considered ‘max’) you will be penalized if you begin to collect pension benefits before reaching age 60. The penalty is ½% per month for each month you are less than 60. For example, if you retire on your 58th birthday, your pension would forever be 12% lower than if you had waited until you turned 60 to collect it.

• The rebate which lowers the member cost of the retiree health care plans is down to 60%. As a result, the least expensive health plans are approximately $350 per month for the retiree alone and much higher if your partner also needs coverage.

CONCERNS(PotentialAssets)

• It is possible to retire and postpone receipt of your pension so it will be ‘frozen’ and you will not be penalized if you retire with more than 20 years of service but less than maximum service before age 60 or with fewer than 20 years at age 62.

• PEP (Pension Enhancement Program) can help you get a higher pension. If you haven’t signed up for PEP (Pension Enhancement Program), make sure you do so by March 1, 2012 if you are planning to retire in June 2012.

• CTPF counts benefit days toward service time (18 days = 1 month). You can use your sick days to gain more than a year of credit towards your length of service this way.

The Bottom Line: This is your future! Make sure to consult your personal financial planner and/or attend retirement planning workshops which are offered by CTPF, the credit union and community colleges. The pension fund will hold a retirement seminar on November 30 at Chicago HS for Agricultural Sciences. Additional seminars will be held in February and March.

Please note that the Chicago Teachers Pension Fund (CTPF) administers the pension plan and is a completely separate institution from the Chicago Teachers Union. CTPF is your best source of information on retirement issues. Go to CTPF.org for more information.

The Chicago Teachers Pension Fund (CTPF) needs you to gear up and get ready now to help it survive. Public Pension hunting season in Springfield officially begins on January 31st, the first day of the 2012 legislative session. Make no mistake: Legislators and corporate interests have their sights targeted at both state and city public pension funds urging “reforms” that will no doubt include decreased benefits for current contributors and potentially those of annuitants. These pension “deforms” are being promoted by powerful business interests that demand tax breaks for corporations, while cutting earned benefits of middle class public workers. For this reason it is absolutely critical that the entire 54,000 members of the CTPF galvanize and become part of a coordinated counterattack.

The State of Illinois and the country are at a pivotal time in history. Even as huge multi-national corporations leverage their ability to relocate to insist on local tax subsidies and tax breaks, citizens of specific localities are told that they must give up more of their salaries and earnings to balance their government’s budgets. As public employees, Chicago teachers and administrators were promised secure pensions as a provision of their work contracts. Those employer-employee contracts must be honored. The State of Illinois has an obligation to its working citizens if not greater than certainly equal to Illinois’ “obligation” to transient multi-national corporations. The 54,000 members of the Chicago Teachers Pension Fund need to continue to remind their elected representatives that we ask only for what we have been contractually promised. We are not part of the problem. We did our jobs, many of us for a working lifetime. It is up to the legislators to do theirs. Fund pensions properly.

We don’t have the resources of the corporations or the corporate media. But we do have the numbers. The 54,000 contributors and annuitants, together with their families and friends, represent hundreds of thousands of hard working Illinois taxpayers. Their attack on pensions must be met by our counterattack on corporate tax breaks and subsidies. Write your legislators, call your representatives. Respond to negative media stories. Blog, join the CTPF Facebook, write letters to the editor, call in to radio talk shows, join folks in peaceful protests. Any action you take is significant. The more participatory you become, the more we all benefit. For this reason, the CTPF is asking that members stay informed by registering their e-mail addresses with CTPF by visitiing www.ctpf.org, and clicking on the link “Sign Up To Receive News Updates Via E-Mail.” Complete the brief registration process and you will be on your way to receiving email notifications from your Pension Fund and joining the counterattack.

GetReadytoCounterattackBy Jay C. Rehak, President Chicago Teachers Pension Fund

ChicagoUnionTeacher•January2012•13

DelegatesnotpresentattheHouseofDelegatesMeetingonWednesday,November30,.2011

AL1AUSTIN-NORTHLAWNDALEELEMENTARYAnderson, Grace A.Harris, VeraKeller, Kristina C. Lopatka, Marica J.Luna, Maureen J.Poole, AletheaShere, Nicole R.Smith, Tanya Y.Watts Henderson,

Shirley J.Williams, Nancy J.

AL2AUSTIN-NORTHLAWNDALEELEMENTARYEubanks, Lorraine I.Harper, Carla T.Hildreth, Iris E.Oesterreicher, Jay S.Sands, Judith A.

BP1BURNHAMPARKELEMENTARYButler-Mitchell,

Paulette B.Washington, Darlene

BP2BURNHAMPARKELEMENTARYAndersson, Helen N.Cresswell, Sheba L.Durrah, Vickie S.Gharashor, NarinehHegwood, CatherineMcKinley, Lady D.Nze, Christian E.

EG1ENGLEWOOD-GRESHAMELEMENTARYCarrethers, Loreal S.Moore, Daphne J.Neely, Dwight C.Pugh, Anthony R.Ross, Pamela M.Sharp, Daisy L.Smith, Vera I.Stewart, James W.

EG2ENGLEWOOD-GRESHAMELEMENTARYGilmore, JacquelineHassan, ZahirahManderson, Afrah B.Wynn, Ola

FSSFARSOUTHSIDEHIGHSCHOOLBoughton, Patricia A.Dixon, LawerFitzgerald, James B.Knowles-West,

Kristine E.Robbins, Elizabeth

FR1FULLERTONELEMENTARYBerry, Tamica L.Cetera, Colleen E.Dixon, Karen E.Hidalgo, EvaJackson, Richard R.Montgomery, Andrea H.Nevarez, AntoniaO’Gara, Laura E.Rivera, Anna M.Villa, Mary

FR2FULLERTONELEMENTARYBrennan, Jennifer L.Byrd, Marcie A.Kearns, Donald E.Kovach, Gerard J.Townsel, Jennifer R.

FL1FULTONELEMENTARYBalark, Lawrence

FL2FULTONELEMENTARYBuckley, Jennifer L.Carlson, Julie A.Reese-Clark, Vanessa B.

GH1GARFIELD-HUMBOLDTELEMENTARYGreco-Serwa, Sandra M.Paz-Bustos, Maria T.Pechota, Amber R.Sturgeon, Melissa S.Wendorf, Lori S.

GH2GARFIELD-HUMBOLDTELEMENTARYBastek, Kirk J.Biancalana, Jodi L.Burton-West, Cheryl A.Dragos, LuminitaGilson, Kathleen A.Kruger, Christopher R.Savage, Lekia D.

LC1LAKECALUMETELEMENTARYAnglin, Adrienne R.Bergstrom, Erika L.Coleman, Angela K.Garner, Darnell J.Refakes, Dean A.

LC2LAKECALUMETELEMENTARYCraig, Sharion D.Garza, Susan K.Salazar, Natalie

ME1MIDWAYELEMENTARYHester, Kamau L.Pinal, Wendy G.Preciado, DianaRichardson, Dawn S.

ME2MIDWAYELEMENTARYAcevedo, RubenCastrejon, RobertoCummings, Nora K.Julian, Denise S.Paulinski, Juanita N.

NW1NORTH-NORTHWESTSIDEH.S.Buckmaster, Marcie E.Cox, Ron O.Difrancesco, Gregory T.Fuller, ClarenceLombardo, Martin R.Malugen, William B.McIntosh, James E.Smith, Laura

NW2NORTH-NORWESTSIDEH.S.Bateman, Benjamin G.Mitchell, Adria M.O’Shea, Mary RoseOsada, Lauren J.Reed, Alden S.Rembert-Franzoni,

Mable L.Ross, Mary K.OH1O’HAREELEMENTARYAllison, David R.Bravo, Laura G.McGuffey, Candace L.Tulacz, Anthony J.Waller, Georgia A.OH2O’HAREELEMENTARYBarnhart, Kent A.Batman, Curtis J.Bischoff, Scott J.Block, Caryn T.Davidson, Susan K.Graves, Kenneth R.Ortiz, Lorraine G.Papadogiannis, Mark-

Anthony P.Taylor, Terral L.PE1PERSHINGELEMENTARYBlair, Karen A.Corona, Rosa N.Dunn, Joseph M.Rodriguez-Badillo,

GuillerminaPE2PERSHINGELEMENTARYCintron, YocelinHumphrey, Tiffany J.King, Latia M.PL1PILSEN-LITTLEVILLAGEELEMENTARYJohnson, Philomena M.Rentz, Kathleen M.Sanchez, Juan F.Taylor, Rozlyn

PL2PILSEN-LITTELVILLAGEELEMENTARYAlbrecht, LukeHearrin, James A.Hermanas, Roberta K.

RR1RAVENSWOOD-RIDGEELEMENTARYAskounis, Katherine G.Cunningham, Helen C.Daniel, Diane M.Feeney, Charles L.Martinez, Xavier F.Muhammad, Haneefa R.Thomas, Judy A.Tovar, Claudia K.

RR2RAVENSWOOD-RIDGEELEMENTARYBivens, SherrilynDavis-Williams,

Stephanie A.Ebstein, JodyKoliarakis, Diane A.Parks, Nettie M.Pullman, Esther

RI1ROCKISLANDELEMENTARYBrogan, Karen E.Brown, Tradonna M.Johnson, Brenda F.Juracka, Danielle M.Wimby, Yoko

RI2ROCKISLANDELEMENTARYAppiah, Kristin A.Bedenfield, Lori A.Calandriello, JoannaVail, Dennis M.

SK1SKYWAYELEMENTARYCoulter, Mark S.Dasilva, Robin K.Gartner, Pamela E.Johnson, William R.Pates, Cynthia M.Sharrieff, Aisha J.

SK2SKYWAYELEMENTARYGreen-Gates, DarleneHozian, William P.Johnson, Melaan S.

SSHSOUTHSIDEH.S.Cushingberry, Warren P.Forbes, Denise M.Gomez, Nhora E.Gooden, AmyJones-Chaney, JoniMenzies, Frank L.Miller, MartinRobinson, Annette M.

SW1SOUTHWESTSIDEH.S.Beavin, James H.Hease, Paul J.Martinek, Andrew M.Nash, Jesse W.Nguyen, Quang V.Sabo, Jason

SW2SOUTHWESTSIDEH.S.Ainsworth, Mark J.Colvin, BennieDemski, Alan J.Gonzalez-Reyes,

Efrain F.Mitacek, Joseph R.Perry, Donna M.Saqri, Ahmed A.Wagner, Natalie T.Zehnder, John M.

WS1WESTSIDEH.S.Feltes, Emily A.Jones, Jennifer D.Venegas, SalvadorWard, Rachel

WS2WESTSIDEH.S.Cosby, Kassandra J.Dziemiela, Brian J.Konieczko, Gregory J.Levy, Jonathan H.Nowlin, Amme A.Rau, Jay P.Topel, Scott G.

CITY-WIDETEACHERSAnderson, Shirley J.Arnieri, Betty J.Feeley, Thomas M.Fitzpatrick, Mary B.Hadley-Konrath,

Debra L.Hardaway, Eugenia Harris, WandaJavaras, Barbara K.Kane, Margaret M.Kedvesh, John A.Korach, AlbertKreinik, Karen L.Lucas, Annette B.Matthews, Sheresa L.Nijim, Majd W.Pisano, Angela M.Ruiz, EvelynSchechtman, Judith B.Schecter, Jeff M.Starnicky, Thomas J.Swift, Maureen C.White, Norma J.Wilson, MelvinWright, Donna D.

CITY-WIDECAREERSERVICEBonet, DamarisBrown, Barbara, J.Bullocks, Latonya N.Calderon, Iris M.Carey, Patricia A.Cassidy, Eileen M.Evans, Tennille S.Fells, Denise M.Ford, JeanmarieHampton, Vermie L.Hearrin, Jane E.Moriarty, Carol F.Myron, Deanna L.Nobles, Ida L.Palmer, Cecelia L.Piggee, MarilynRamsey, BarbaraRobinson, Helena M.Robinson, PatriciaSanders, VickieSantiago, MilagrosScott, Ella M.Shaw, Despina A.Silva, Rosa G.Sled, Donna J.Stamps, Sharon D.Stewart, Gloria J.Swanson-Lagesse,

Nancy A.Thompson, LucilleTirado, Roberto E.Trice, JeanineTrotter-Harris, DeniseVivians, SheilaWarren, AnthonyWashington, Ruth

Chicago LocationDe La Salle Institute 3434 S. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60616

(Parking is free. The campus is also accessible by public transportation.)

www.lewisu.edu

discounted tuition

New cohort programs beginning Spring 2012:• EnglishasaSecondLanguageEndorsement

withBilingualoption-$250/credit

• Type75certificationorM.Ed.InEducational Leadership-$390/credit

Pleasecontactus:Office of Graduate and Adult Admission(815)836-5610•grad@lewisu.edu

ispleasedtoannounce

Discounted Tuition for Education ProgramsatourCHICAGOCampus

The College of Education

atourChicagoCampus

saving : investing : planning

Smart ChoiceChoose a retirement plan provider with more than a half century of experience.

We provide individual solutions and one-on-one guidance to help you plan for and enjoy a secure retirement. Let’s talk.

Annuity contracts are issued by The Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company. Annuities and mutual funds offered by VALIC are distributed by its affiliate, American General Distributors, Inc., 2929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas 77019, member FINRA.VALIC represents The Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company and its subsidiaries, VALIC Financial Advisors, Inc. and VALIC Retirement Services Company.Copyright © The Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company. All rights reserved.

VC 22571 (07/2009) J74596 EE VALIC.com

Call a financial advisor at:

1-800-892-5558

ext. 88815

Head Lice or pediculosis is a communicable health condition.

Lice are parasites that need their human hosts’ blood for survival.

They can last up to 20 hours without a host. Their average life span is 23-

30 days but the female louse can lay up to 300 eggs or nits before she dies.

Lice are brown in color and travel fast through the hair. They are often found around the ear lobe and the top of the

head. A battery operated device called the “Robi Comb” will kill the louse on contact without harming the child.

Their eggs are called nits and they are normally white in color. People mistake them for dandruff; however, they adhere to the hair shaft and are difficult to remove. Early signs of lice are itching and scratching of the student’s head or noticeable nits. Manual removal of the eggs is a laborious and tedious process with a special “lice” comb.

Lice cannot hop, jump, or fly but they can crawl from person to person. Transmission consists of direct contact or close contact with another child’s belongings. Prevention includes teaching students not to share hats, combs, etc. and storing students’ clothing separately so items do not touch.

Treatment is annihilation of these insects. There are over the counter shampoos containing insecticides and prescriptive medications from a physician. Instructions are to shampoo initially and at the prescribed interval after the first treatment. In addition parents should:

• Wash all clothing, bed linens, and personal items of the infected child in hot water (130 degrees F).

• Soak combs and brushes in lice shampoo or in hot water (130 degrees F) for 10 minutes.

• Place non-washable items such as stuffed animals, hair ornaments, hats, and coats in a plastic bag and seal tightly for 10-21 days. After the time has expired, open bag outdoors and shake contents to remove dead lice and nits.

• Vacuum well all upholstered furniture, carpeting, and mattresses.

CPS does not have a “No Nit Policy.” Students are excluded from school only if live lice are found. Parents are notified if there is a student in their child’s classroom with nits and/or lice. Information is sent home that includes symptoms and treatment options. Parents of the student infected with lice must show proof of treatment before the child returns to class.

All teachers should be advised that a student with lice does not mean that the student has poor hygiene or that there is a history of poor hygiene at home. More often than not, lice love freshly shampooed, clean hair.

~Linda W. Clarke RN, M.Ed, NCSN

Certified School Nurse

Lice Be Gone!

November 2011Jane W. Callahan 2nd DawesEarnest E. Fair 2nd DunneBarbara Courtney 3rd SkinnerMildred Laws 3rd RyderJeanne G. Pearson 3rd WatersDoris A. Sposta 3rd StocktonJanice M. Bennett 6th Whitney Young HSLester Burrage 6th IrvingJohn D. Lamon 6th Clemente HSNaomi C. Moody 6th SmythCharles Walter Meekins 7th SchillerVirginia Walsh 7th OwenEleanor S. Dorman 10th ScanlanPatricia H. Hoffman 11th HitchWilliam S. Murray 11th Curie HSVirginia W. Burke 13th KilmerHenrietta Goldberg 13th Sullivan HSVivian T. Williams 14th DonoghueFred C. Purnell 15th Avalon ParkEvelyn D. Stemley 15th Olive CPCVirginia W. French 16th John Hope Acad.Walter H. Mckinney 16th Arai James M. Shannon 17th Washington Rita C. Cochrane 19th WentworthCharles H. Meyer 20th KosciuszkoJohn W. Trudo 20th SchillerLillie L. Lonzo 21st Parker HSFrank P. Modica 21st SpryDeloris H. Bengtson 27th BellLeslie A. Graziano 27th FunstonShirley Majewski 27th Bateman

ChicagoUnionTeacher•January2012•15

September 2011Patricia Viola Land 10th Manley HSPatricia Riley-Robinson 21st Social Worker

October 2011Sandra Lynn Tucker 16th SawyerArlene Sudduth 18ht DelanoMaxine E. King 22nd Washington, George HSJosephine R. Kamin 25th PalmerGertrude G. Dickson 26th KinzieRebecca Alice Porter 26th King HSWilhelmina Sloan 26th Hyde Park HSOlivia Baker 27th FultonLorraine Pickett 29th PasteurRhoda C. Eisner 31st Parkside

In Memoriam

Editor’s Note: Lists of deceased members of the Chicago Teachers Union are provided to the Chicago Union Teacher by the office of the Chicago Teachers Pension Fund and are printed as received. If you notice an error or omission, please contact the editor at 312-329-6252 so a correction may be made in a subsequent edition.

LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO • SCHOOL OF EDUCATIONMASTERS • DOCTORATES • CERTIFICATES

Loyola is committed to the Jesuit tradition of knowledge in the service of humanity. Become a leaderin your school community and learn how you can change society—and yourself—for the better.

Learn what a Jesuit education can do for you.Visit LUC.edu/ctu.

YOUR KNOWLEDGE CAN

SERVEOTHERS.