CTU President to Students on National Student Walkout: I am so Proud of You

Karen Lewis: “We fight for our students every day in our school communities. Today, students are standing up with leadership and courage to fight for equity and justice.”

CHICAGO, April 4, 2018—CTU President Karen Lewis issued the following statement in support of Chicago public school students participating in #NationalStudentWalkout actions:

“Chicago public school students stood up today against gun violence and all acts of violence that plague our city: unemployment, racism, mass incarceration and austerity. Literally thousands of our youth live with the trauma of life in a city where housing and food insecurity is just as prevalent as gun violence. These young people understand that, here in Chicago, larger dynamics drive violence: poverty, unemployment, hopelessness and the callous indifference of our mayor – indifference that mars their educations and undermines their futures. They took action with sit-ins and marches today to say ‘enough.’

“We fight for our students every day in our school communities because that’s our responsibility and our commitment to our students as educators. Today, our students are standing up with leadership and courage to fight to bring equity and real justice to our city.”

“As educators and members of school communities, we recognize what these young people understand intimately – that it is only through racial, economic and social justice that we achieve educational justice – the kind of justice that will allow our students to fulfil their potential. Our students took that message to the streets today in what is a growing movement not just against gun violence but against the root causes of violence and despair in cities like Chicago. Our union is honored to embrace and support their struggle.

This January, the Chicago Teachers Union embedded language in its constitution to promote racial, economic and social justice as the path to achieving educational justice – and embraced a commitment to build community and labor coalitions to win those goals.

ISBE leaders to recommend next steps at May 16 Board meeting

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) today reviewed the final report from the Public Inquiry Team appointed to examine special education services in Chicago Public Schools (CPS). The Inquiry Team found systemic problems that delayed and denied the provision of special education services to students. Policies, procedures, and systems also hindered the ability of educators and families to advocate for the services students needed.

The Public Inquiry report contains 43 findings of fact. The Inquiry Team found widespread issues with CPS’s Student Services Management (SSM) system, an electronic program that guides users through a series of fillable forms designed to develop a complete Individualized Education Program (IEP) for a student, and with the procedural manuals for using the SSM. The Inquiry Team also found systemic problems with CPS’s processes for collecting data to assess students’ need for services, authorizing IEP teams’ recommendations for students, and providing transportation for students.

“We have an obligation as the leaders of public education systems to create conditions that support every single child in our care,” said State Superintendent of Education Tony Smith, Ph.D. “I deeply appreciate the full participation of all of the parties throughout this first-of-its-kind process in Illinois. This Public Inquiry allowed us to examine CPS’s special education program not just from an administrative compliance perspective but also from the view of the families and educators trying to provide students the best educational experience possible. We are encouraged that CPS has already begun taking steps to improve on the issues discussed in the report. We look forward to working together to build on CPS’s strengths and ensure all students receive the supports they need to thrive.”

ISBE General Counsel Stephanie Jones and ISBE Executive Director of Special Education Services Heather Calomese will meet with CPS and the advocates who brought the initial complaint to ISBE to develop a plan to ensure the concerns noted in the report are resolved prior to next school year. Jones and Calomese will recommend next steps at the State Board meeting on May 16 in Springfield.

ISBE initiated the state’s first-ever Public Inquiry after receiving concerns about potentially systemic issues with CPS’s special education program from families, educators, and stakeholders. The Public Inquiry process facilitates fair and transparent fact-finding on a matter of public concern, while maintaining the focus on the well-being and rights of students.

The Inquiry team held six public comment sessions, received input through a dedicated hotline, collected extensive documentation, and hosted a three-day open hearing to probe the evidence by asking questions of witnesses.

View the Public Inquiry team’s final report at https://www.isbe.net/publicinquiry.

Nationwide (BlackNews.com) — Beyoncé, through her BeyGOOD initiative, has established the Homecoming Scholars Award Program for students attending Xavier University, Wilberforce University, Tuskegee University and Bethune-Cookman University – all Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

Beyoncé announced the program when she made history at the 2018 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival by becoming the first Black woman to headline in the festival’s 19-year run.

The show, with its homage to excellence in education, was a celebration of the homecoming weekend experience, the highest display of college pride. The energy-filled production put the spotlight on art and culture, mixing the ancient and the modern, which resonated masterfully through the marching band, performance art, choir and dance. It was the impetus to mark her second scholarship program.

One winner from each school will win a scholarship award for the academic year for study in various fields.

The Homecoming Scholars Award Program will expand to all qualifying students at the four universities, regardless of gender. The disciplines will include literature, creative arts, African- American studies, science, education, business, communications, social sciences, computer science and engineering. All applicants must maintain a 3.5 GPA or above. All finalists and winners will be selected by the universities. Winners will be announced in the summer.

The deadline for this scholarship is usually in June of each year, and the award amount is usually $25,000.

For more details and/or to apply, visit:
www.scholarshipsonline.org/2018/04/beyonce-homecoming-scholars-award.html

To view hundreds of other 2018 scholarships, visit:
www.ScholarshipsOnline.org

Student rocketeers from 28 states andD.C.will compete next month for more than $100,000 in prizes, scholarships and a chance to represent the U.S. at the global finals

Arlington, VA– The Team America Rocketry Challengetoday unveiled the names of the top 100 teams that will advance to thenational finalsnext month. These teams will compete at the National Finals Fly-Off on May 12th at Great Meadow in The Plains, VA, outside of Washington, D.C.

The Team America Rocketry Challenge is the aerospace and defense industry’s flagship program designed to encourage students to pursue study and careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The competition challenges middle and high school students to design, build, and fly a rocket that meets rigorous altitude and flight duration parameters through a series of certified, qualifying launches. This year’s rules require a rocket carrying two raw eggs to reach 800 feet before returning the eggs to Earth—uncracked—all within 41 to 43 seconds.

Sponsored by the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), the National Association of Rocketry, and more than 20 industry partners, the Rocketry Challenge is the world’s largest rocket contest. This year, 800 teams representing 46 states and the District of Columbiadesigned and built model rockets in hopes of qualifying for the National Finals.

The 100 national finalists announced today hail from 28 states and the District of Columbia, and will compete for more than $100,000 in prizes and scholarships.They will also be competing for the opportunity to represent the United States at the International Rocketry Challenge taking place at the Farnborough Air Show outside of Londonthis July, facing off against teams from the United Kingdom, France and Japan.

The Rocketry Challenge promotes friendly competition among teams from a diverse set of socioeconomic backgrounds, ethnicities and geographies – from rural America to major cities. This year, about one thirdof the students participating are female, including 13 all-girl teams. Numerous teams launched fundraising campaigns in their communities to make their participation this year possible.

AIA President and CEO Eric Fanningcongratulated the finalists: “What excites me about this incredible competition is how every year it inspires thousands of young women and men to consider careers in STEM fields and aerospace. Qualifying for the National Finals and ultimately representing the United States at the international competition involves teamwork, critical thinking, and problem solving skills.  I’m confident that these students will become the engineers and scientists that enable humans to land on Mars and beyond, and we look forward to hosting them in D.C. next month.”

Now in its sixteenth year, the Rocketry Challenge has inspired nearly 70,000 middle and high school students to explore education and careers in STEM fields.

Follow and support your local team on the road to National Finals using the official hashtag: #TARC2018.

Mayor’s hand-picked school bosses have ignored appalling conditions that threaten health and well-being of staff and students, while state law hamstrings CTU members’ right to bargain over bad conditions.

CHICAGO, IL –  A key legislative committee has passed a bill that would once again give CTU members the right to bargain over non-salary conditions, from crowded classes to filthy schools. CTU Vice President Jesse Sharkey joined public school allies to testify Tuesday in support of the bill.

“In 1995, Chicago’s mayor and the state legislature robbed the CTU of the right to stand up for our students,” said Sharkey. “The results have been dismal: overcrowded classrooms, ten years of failure to pay into teachers’ pensions, an explosion of costly and failed privatization, filthy schools, deep budget cuts, the shortchanging of special education, excessive testing and a host of other management policies that undermine students and teachers. Today, the legislature moved to overturn this failed experiment and give back our right to fight for the needs and dignity of our students.”

The Illinois House Labor & Commerce Committee passed HB 4776 by a margin of 17 to 12. The bill, which now moves to the full House, strikes Section 4.5 of the Illinois Education Labor Relations Act, which bans the CTU’s ability to bargain—and potentially strike—over non-monetary issues, a right denied to only to teachers in Chicago. The change would give the CTU the power to challenge classroom conditions that negatively impact students and teachers, from overcrowded classrooms to filthy, poorly maintained schools that create health hazards for students and staff.

The legislative action is timely, says the CTU, in the wake of a series of CPS scandals—including recent Chicago Sun-Times reports on filthy public schools. The fault, argues the CTU, does not lie with union janitors, whose ranks have been slashed since Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel privatized maintenance services in 2012. Yet Section 4.5 effectively banned the CTU from challenging those conditions through collective bargaining.

“Section 4.5’s restrictions on collective bargaining have meant that, for decades, we’ve been hamstrung from forcing CPS to remedy critical problems—including deplorable conditions in our schools that can be directly tied to Emanuel’s failed $800 million privatization of facilities maintenance. Today, hundreds of schools are plagued with rodent and insect infestations, crumbling facilities, exposed asbestos-laden floor and ceiling tiles, and thousands of water sources that have never been tested for lead or other health risks,” Sharkey said. “We urge the full House to follow the lead of the Committee, pass this bill, and return to our members the power to directly challenge this dangerous failure of leadership.”

Legislators are currently considering four other CTU-supported bills that directly impact conditions in public schools: HB 5481, requiring school districts to report class size data to ISBE and sets targets for K-12 class sizes beginning in 2020; HB5721, which mandates improved public input and transparency in CPS capital spending and provides supports for schools and students hit with school actions like closings and turnarounds; HB 3786, which requires fully empowered local school councils in publicly funded schools, including charters, that must vote by a super-majority to approve school closures and reorganizations; and HB 4800, which would move surplus TIF funds to public education needs.

Daudreanna Baker wins Tom Joyner Foundation (R) ‘Full Ride’ Scholarship to Historically Black University

Concerned Citizens Organization and 8th Ward residents are facing head-on challenges in the 8th Ward

By Pamela Bratcher-McMillan

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”- MLK

Concerned Citizens of the 8th Ward

Once again, the Concerned Citizens of the 8th Ward and some 8th Ward residents have overcome tactics to thwart their activities when trying to inform the community of unwanted developments that only serve a few, but are being forced on the 8th Ward community overall. The Concerned Citizens scheduled meeting at St. Ailbe Church to inform the community of a development that many in the area don’t want was canceled without notice. Reportedly, an unknown caller had called the church sometime ago to reserve the meeting room and falsely used the name of a person several people at the church was familiar with. When the falsely accused woman called the church and complained the meeting was canceled. When attendees arrived at the meeting, and after standing in the rainy-cold for awhile, they were told by an 8th Ward alderman’s staff person stationed in the parking lot passing out brochures about Montclare, that the meeting had been canceled. It was a full-parking lot of cars and disappointed people due to the meeting being canceled. The proposed 134-unit, 8 story low income Montclare building for senior citizens is defiantly opposed by the community but very much sanctioned by the alderman. The Concerned Citizens of the 8th Ward were disappointed but not discouraged that the meeting had been canceled. They quickly relocated everyone to an alternate location because they felt it was too important to let the mishap obliterate them or stand in the way of getting the word out about what was taking place in the community, including a new seven story 1-2 bedroom low-income senior housing development without input from the community. That was quick thinking on the part of Linda Hudson, a candidate for alderman of the 8th Ward, who understands the importance of not letting a situation that some would have given up on and gone home stop her from informing the community. This instantaneous recovery shows that Hudson thinks on her feet (even in the rainy-cold).  That is why we need Hudson for 8th Ward alderman. She won’t give up on getting the community involved and empowered. Let’s hope St Ailbe learned from this and will develop a fail-safe system to confirm persons who call in to use the meeting room. Perhaps a confirmation number could be issued when a meeting is scheduled, and it would have to be used to cancel the meting or with a follow-up call.  

Nationwide (BlackNews.com) — Now, more than ever, a college degree is an essential prerequisite for achieving upward mobility. Unfortunately, for today’s traditionally underserved (and often ignored) minority communities, achieving that goal is becoming even more elusive. With the cost of college rising daily, underserved minority communities are increasingly unable to continue their post-secondary education due to a lack of money. The Scholarship Center has the proven solution for minority students looking to finance a college degree without crippling student debt which disproportionally impacts their lives and livelihoods.

The Scholarship Center is a premium scholarship database housing thousands of scholarships, worth billions of dollars, for students of all ages and backgrounds; from elementary school students to post graduate degree students. The database houses the largest, most accurate and timely premium database of national, regional and local lesser known scholarships, internships and cost savings special program opportunities. The database can be screened using a wide variety of parameters (there are over 150 majors listed) and is updated daily!

The Scholarship Center employs a tried and proven scholarship methodology, which includes applying for these lesser known scholarships which greatly enhances the student’s chances of winning. Using this strategy, The Scholarship Center helps remove the “sweepstakes” nature out of the typical scholarship process. While The Scholarship Center includes scholarships for students of all ethnicities, special attention is given to members of underserved communities whose particular needs have largely been ignored by other scholarship websites.

The Scholarship Center, for its comprehensive services, charges a nominal subscription fee because it does not accept advertising from advertisers ultimately seeking to obtain personal student information. “We’re truly invested in our students’ success. The students are our only customers, not marketing companies. We never share or otherwise sell student information to anyone. Our focus isn’t website traffic. Our focus is exclusively helping students find scholarships they can actually win.” In this regard, The Scholarship Center is wholly managed and maintained by dedicated parents and students actively engaged in the college scholarship search process.

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According to Ms. Ward, it is imperative that minority students get their college degrees. “Nothing about the current political and/or social realities can change without minority students getting their education. They need to be in the legislatures creating laws and on the judiciary benches interpreting those same laws. We need them in the hospitals as doctors, nurses and administrators to help combat illnesses that overwhelming and negatively impact minorities, and we need them in positions of power in the media to give accurate portrayals of themselves and things happening to them. We need them advancing technology and we need them running corporations so that corporate structures are sensitive and responsive to their needs. None of that happens without students being able to get to and through college and their ability to finance their post-secondary education is a major contributing factor.”

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The Scholarship Center is the brainchild of “Mompreneur,” Lisa Ward’s painstaking efforts to locate scholarships for her eldest daughter. As a mother, Ms. Ward was disappointed in the existing scholarship websites and set out to research local and regional scholarships which were not included in other scholarship search engines and was ultimately successfully in helping her daughters, and many others, from a variety of different backgrounds and walks of life, successfully obtain those college scholarships. Because minority students are less likely to know about scholarship opportunities available to them, special attention and visibility is given to those scholarships for which they qualify. For its services, the Scholarship Center charges a low subscription rate. For more information, visit www.thescholarshipcenter.com