The Spark

the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist

“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx

Chicago Schools:
“Fact Finder” Ignores the Facts

Apr 25, 2016

Two weeks after Chicago teachers staged a one-day strike, they got another contract proposal, this time from the so-called “fact-finder”–a kind of arbitrator.

The “fact-finder” showed what his supposed “neutrality” is worth: His proposal was . . . the same offer teachers turned down in January! The one that involved pay cuts and phasing out the Board’s “pick-up” contributions to teacher pensions. Teachers aren’t going for cuts–the Board knows this. But that didn’t stop them from offering the same thing. Isn’t that a definition for insanity–doing the same thing over again, expecting different results?

The “fact-finder” said the Board has no choice–because they don’t have enough money to pay to run the schools.

Well, then–they need to go out and get some more money! No one can say there’s no money in Chicago. There are tens of millions of dollars in TIF money for high end condo developments, for example, money that’s diverted away from schools. If Emanuel’s handpicked board has no money, it’s because Emanuel keeps giving handouts to developers and corporations. Take that money back–stop taking it out of teachers’ wages and students’ education.