Chicago teachers House of Delegates September meeting
By Jim Vail
The Chicago teacher union members met for the first House of Delegates meeting of the new 2018-2019 school year last Wednesday, Sept. 5 and voted solidly to confirm Jesse Sharkey as the new CTU President after Karen Lewis retired due to health reasons and Stacy Davis Gates as the new vice president.
The meeting usually kicks off with delegates announcing teachers who died over the long summer break. Gasps went up when several delegates said there were teachers who had just retired and then suddenly died, while one delegate announced that there was a current teacher who died.
Next to the two new officers being sworn in to represent the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), the other big event of the night was a budget report given by new interim financial director, Kathy Catalano.
The CTU officers said the last financial director retired due to health reasons. But one delegate said it looked like the CTU had misspent money, which the CTU officers denied.
Most likely the new finance director is a result of the work of Therese Boyle, who co-founded the new group Members First, who has demanded transparency when it comes to the union's finances. Unbeknownst to the delegates as well as trustees who are supposed to safeguard CTU finances, the CTU had to cut $2 million and lay off employees. Boyle questioned the union about many financial transactions that have not been properly documented as money seems to flow between the foundation and the CTU, appearing to avoid accountability.
Catalano told the delegates that there will now be clear reports and all financial transactions will be recorded (Chicago Public Schools demanded similar accountability in the schools several years ago) and the union will stay within its budget.
Catalano has an extensive experience in budgeting for townships, school districts and non-profit educational companies, she told the delegates.
"So I know about budgets," Catalano said. "We're taking other people's money in and we need to be good stewards of that."
CTU Financial Secretary Maria Moreno said the CTU had a victory in the contract which states that any primary class (K-2) with over 32 students must have a teacher's aid. However, some teachers on social media said they are still waiting for an aid in their classes.
"I think we'll take credit for Rahm Emanuel's departure," a smiling Sharkey told the delegates during his report. The Chicago mayor announced that he will not run for re-election. "Rahm Emanuel didn't like his job because he wasn't popular among the working class. This is a guy who felt the pressure."
After Sharkey listed the many public school sins of Emanuel - closing 50 schools, massive corruption, his school chief now in prison, dirty schools due to privatization - he also rightly pointed out who really runs the city.
"(Billionaire hedge fund businessmen) Michael Sacks and Ken Griffin (who demanded that Rahm close 100 schools!) - I don't know who they'll cook up next," Sharkey said. "Another boss will be beholden to them."
Sharkey said Karen Lewis is doing well and welcomes any comforting text messages or other forms of communication to show support.
There will be a rally Sept. 26 in front of the Board of Education offices at 42 W. Madison at 5pm to show support for the charter teachers who could very well be the first to go on strike demanding better wages and conditions. The CTU said it is important for all teachers to support their charter colleagues - who are now CTU members - so that CTU members also get a good contract next year.
Sharkey said it was disappointing that some teachers were not able to return to the classroom due to delays from the finger printing of all teachers this past summer. Some teachers who were arrested for protesting school budget cuts are now being held up from reentering their classrooms due to the crackdown on sex abuse that the Chicago Tribune wrote about.
The CTU said CPS hired about 1,000 new teachers this year, and it is important for delegates to reach out to the new teachers in their buildings and make sure they sign up for the union.
Sharkey said Substance News editor and long-time activist George Schmidt is battling Stage 4 Cancer. "I had many disagreements with George over the years, but he bleeds CTU red," the CTU president said.
Brandon Johnson, who won the democratic primary for Cook County commissioner, is still employed at the union as an organizer with the Political Action Committee or PAC. His report sounded more like a polished political speech than anything specific about legislation. As delegate for Hammond School, I asked during the Q&A period at the end of the meeting if the CTU is working on legislation to allow retired teachers in Chicago to sub for 120 days like all the rest of the state. Political Dir. and now VP Stacy David Gates said yes, they are working on this. Acquiring substitute teachers has been a huge headache for many schools.
Sharkey said there shouldn't be a substitute problem because there are about 1,000 more subs working in CPS. He pointed out that 40 percent of schools in hard-to-staff schools get subs, while 96% of schools in richer parts of the city get subs. CPS announced that they would pay subs up to $50 more per day to attract subs to work in those schools that need them.
Pension fund trustee Mary Sharon Reilly said the Chicago Teachers Pension Fund (CTPF) has a new website and it earned an impressive 11.1 percent return for the last 12 months. She also said 20 years ago 20% of teachers were retired and 80% worked, while today about 50% of teachers are retired, and 50% are working.
Clinician delegate and Members First President Therese Boyle said the CTU should consider holding a workshop on Robert's Rules for new delegates so they understand how the delegates meetings are run. She also suggested a parliamentarian at the delegates meetings to make sure everyone is following the rules.
By Jim Vail
 |
| Jesse Sharkey has replaced Karen Lewis officially as the new CTU president. |
The Chicago teacher union members met for the first House of Delegates meeting of the new 2018-2019 school year last Wednesday, Sept. 5 and voted solidly to confirm Jesse Sharkey as the new CTU President after Karen Lewis retired due to health reasons and Stacy Davis Gates as the new vice president.
The meeting usually kicks off with delegates announcing teachers who died over the long summer break. Gasps went up when several delegates said there were teachers who had just retired and then suddenly died, while one delegate announced that there was a current teacher who died.
 |
| Stacy Davis Gates was voted CTU vice president. |
Next to the two new officers being sworn in to represent the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), the other big event of the night was a budget report given by new interim financial director, Kathy Catalano.
The CTU officers said the last financial director retired due to health reasons. But one delegate said it looked like the CTU had misspent money, which the CTU officers denied.
Most likely the new finance director is a result of the work of Therese Boyle, who co-founded the new group Members First, who has demanded transparency when it comes to the union's finances. Unbeknownst to the delegates as well as trustees who are supposed to safeguard CTU finances, the CTU had to cut $2 million and lay off employees. Boyle questioned the union about many financial transactions that have not been properly documented as money seems to flow between the foundation and the CTU, appearing to avoid accountability.
Catalano told the delegates that there will now be clear reports and all financial transactions will be recorded (Chicago Public Schools demanded similar accountability in the schools several years ago) and the union will stay within its budget.
Catalano has an extensive experience in budgeting for townships, school districts and non-profit educational companies, she told the delegates.
"So I know about budgets," Catalano said. "We're taking other people's money in and we need to be good stewards of that."
CTU Financial Secretary Maria Moreno said the CTU had a victory in the contract which states that any primary class (K-2) with over 32 students must have a teacher's aid. However, some teachers on social media said they are still waiting for an aid in their classes.
"I think we'll take credit for Rahm Emanuel's departure," a smiling Sharkey told the delegates during his report. The Chicago mayor announced that he will not run for re-election. "Rahm Emanuel didn't like his job because he wasn't popular among the working class. This is a guy who felt the pressure."
After Sharkey listed the many public school sins of Emanuel - closing 50 schools, massive corruption, his school chief now in prison, dirty schools due to privatization - he also rightly pointed out who really runs the city.
"(Billionaire hedge fund businessmen) Michael Sacks and Ken Griffin (who demanded that Rahm close 100 schools!) - I don't know who they'll cook up next," Sharkey said. "Another boss will be beholden to them."
 |
| Billionaire Ken Griffin tells Chicago mayors what to do. |
Sharkey said Karen Lewis is doing well and welcomes any comforting text messages or other forms of communication to show support.
 |
| And billionaire Michael Sacks tells Chicago mayors what to do. |
There will be a rally Sept. 26 in front of the Board of Education offices at 42 W. Madison at 5pm to show support for the charter teachers who could very well be the first to go on strike demanding better wages and conditions. The CTU said it is important for all teachers to support their charter colleagues - who are now CTU members - so that CTU members also get a good contract next year.
Sharkey said it was disappointing that some teachers were not able to return to the classroom due to delays from the finger printing of all teachers this past summer. Some teachers who were arrested for protesting school budget cuts are now being held up from reentering their classrooms due to the crackdown on sex abuse that the Chicago Tribune wrote about.
The CTU said CPS hired about 1,000 new teachers this year, and it is important for delegates to reach out to the new teachers in their buildings and make sure they sign up for the union.
Sharkey said Substance News editor and long-time activist George Schmidt is battling Stage 4 Cancer. "I had many disagreements with George over the years, but he bleeds CTU red," the CTU president said.
Brandon Johnson, who won the democratic primary for Cook County commissioner, is still employed at the union as an organizer with the Political Action Committee or PAC. His report sounded more like a polished political speech than anything specific about legislation. As delegate for Hammond School, I asked during the Q&A period at the end of the meeting if the CTU is working on legislation to allow retired teachers in Chicago to sub for 120 days like all the rest of the state. Political Dir. and now VP Stacy David Gates said yes, they are working on this. Acquiring substitute teachers has been a huge headache for many schools.
Sharkey said there shouldn't be a substitute problem because there are about 1,000 more subs working in CPS. He pointed out that 40 percent of schools in hard-to-staff schools get subs, while 96% of schools in richer parts of the city get subs. CPS announced that they would pay subs up to $50 more per day to attract subs to work in those schools that need them.
Pension fund trustee Mary Sharon Reilly said the Chicago Teachers Pension Fund (CTPF) has a new website and it earned an impressive 11.1 percent return for the last 12 months. She also said 20 years ago 20% of teachers were retired and 80% worked, while today about 50% of teachers are retired, and 50% are working.
Clinician delegate and Members First President Therese Boyle said the CTU should consider holding a workshop on Robert's Rules for new delegates so they understand how the delegates meetings are run. She also suggested a parliamentarian at the delegates meetings to make sure everyone is following the rules.
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