Chicago Public Schools: Major Oppositions

Article: 
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-05-24/news/ct-met-teachers-union-rally-0524-20120524_1_cps-teachers-chicago-teachers-ctu

Summary:  
This article discusses the opposition between the mayor of Chicago and the teachers union, policy changes that are occurring within the Chicago Public School system, and potential strikes that will occur because of these policy changes.


Analysis:  
This article interested me because of the policy negotiations currently happening with Chicago Public Schools.  These negotiations will directly affect me and 37 of my peers that are student teaching in Chicago for the 2012-2013 school year.  I have been accepted to student teach through CPS, however, depending on how the events of the opposition between the mayor and the teachers union pan out, Michigan State may decide to pull us from the program and place us elsewhere.  The main negotiations now are based on the increase in the school day simultaneously with the decrease (or lack of an increase) in teacher pay.  Another large negotiation with CPS is the idea of performance-based salary and employment, based on how well the students and the school as a whole performs on state-wide testing.  The negotiations mentioned are a major point of stress for all of the CPS staff, as well as for all MSU interns and coordinators.  It can be guaranteed that there will be many strikes and debates between the teachers and the mayor in Chicago, and that it will take a long time to negotiate a fair contract between the teachers union and the policy makers.