Teachers Call Us!

Things Heating Up for Second City Teachers
By Jim Vail


Why another news blog on education?  Why another website about the public schools in Chicago?

Well, first of all, there is always room for something that offers a quality product.  I will gladly read a magazine or newspaper, new or old, if it provides quality news reporting.

Blogs are mostly someone's website rehashing the news from other sources, and then the author provides his or her commentary.  

Some are great like Diane Ravitch, who has an amazing selection of news and commentary. She is practically a news service herself.

With her slant, of course, which is pro-public education. 

But many blogs are filled with fluff and die early deaths, or go on for some vain reason.

So what is the reason Second City Teachers news blog continues? As we hit our one year online presence, and we near 10,000 hits - the question we need to ask is why?

One of the best compliments I received was from a fellow substitute teacher who said my site is not really a blog.  It is actually a news service.

I am a reporter and prefer to provide reporting versus commentary.

As we say - just the facts mam!

So what are the other reasons people need to read Secondcityteachers?

First, and foremost, every public school teacher in the city should read my reports on the house of delegates meetings. They tell you exactly what is happening on the front lines from union headquarters.

Second, this site continues to be a real news source for teachers who get screwed in this era of 'education reform.'  Continuing my work from Substance News a few years ago, I continue to get calls and emails from teachers who were unfairly fired, or put on do not hire lists despite their stellar teaching records.  There are whistle blowers in the charter schools, and teachers reporting how ridiculous it is all getting, and you can read all about it on this site.

Third, this is the website to read for critical analysis of the Chicago Teachers Union. The CTU leadership, which defeated the old guard UPC, must still be watched because they are now the ones in power. When one is in power, one must continue to be monitored and called out when dirty deals and sell outs go down, covered in slick packaging.

A union is a political entity that is representing the workers, in our case the teachers. They are in a game with ugly players, like machine democrats selling out our interests every day. It is troubling that our new union leadership continues to play this dirty game and not opt out of this rigged game. 

It certainly is not easy, but you need to watch our leaders words carefully to know exactly what they are saying about this continued reliance on a bankrupt political system.

The fourth reason is one has to read our incredible correspondent from Moscow, Mr. Stephen Wilson. His stories are heart felt about the educational changes in Russia.  They also show how we live in a global world where what is happening across the globe is very similar to what is happening in Chicago. It's called capitalism, and it's fucking everywhere.

So if you have inside information about another corrupt deal going down at 125 S. Clark Street, you are a teacher who is seeing outrageous actions in your school, or you were unfairly fired or put on a do not hire list, etc. - give us a call or email.

We are here to promote the public school teacher - the true hero in the trenches fighting the real war to help the impoverished poor children which society doesn't really care about.

And because the corporate media repeat the ruling class lies that the public schools are broke, we salute you and tell the public the truth.

Which is what you won't find in most places where money is king.