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What Led to the Chicago Teacher Strike?

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    “The American Spectator” Senior Editor John Fund on the teacher strike in Chicago.

  • Duration 4:41
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With more on this John fund senior editor of the American spectator.

John great to see you.

I I have to say.

I think people look at this and they see that the pay -- they Chicago teachers are getting which is higher than any other school district in the country I believe.

It's -- shocking to see them abandoning these kids what do you make of it.

Well there -- a lot of good dedicated teachers in the Chicago system.

But the current union work rules and the current restrictions.

On them being good teachers make it very difficult to do the best job for the kids.

Something like 15%.

A fourth -- who are reading -- proficiency level in Chicago if you're entering a freshman high school class.

Only 56%.

Of the people who -- as freshman graduated seniors this is unacceptable.

Now having said that the average salary of a -- of a family in Chicago is 47000 dollars here.

But the average teacher salary is 76000.

Dollars a year and it doesn't even include benefits so there's clearly a -- we're spending too much money.

In the wrong areas and not getting good results I think if we had more choice in the system and by the way notice the charter schools.

And private -- parochial schools those kids went in today.

Exact by -- and I think you know people look at some of these other numbers teachers are only.

Paying 3% of their health care benefits in Chicago.

I mean it -- do you have this ironic situation where Rahm Emanuel the former advisor to the present a Democrat is now fighting with unions.

Over pay packages -- the reality where you know the reality meets the street.

On your ability to fund these expensive programs is the problem -- let's keep in mind here today that the negotiations were continuing for hours this afternoon.

Isn't problem with pay is it with benefits where is the sticking point.

Well I think it's ultimately something beyond the negotiation of this city.

And that's choice.

I think we need school choice.

This charter schools in Chicago or doing a pretty good job but -- far too few of them.

Parents need more choices.

Teachers need the ability to be good teachers and not be bound by union work rules and seniority rules you know just last year Gerri.

You know the teacher of the year in both Nevada and New York were fired.

Why would they fired because they were last on the seniority system the system doesn't make any sense.

So well I think we need to do -- yes we need to pay teachers well but we have to expect a lot from them including results better than 56% high school graduation.

Well one of the things the teachers are protesting -- teacher valuation process is they say it's not fair pop for them to be evaluated.

By the people.

Consuming their product I guess you could say I.

Don't we have to get some kind of market based metrics some kind of way of evaluating.

Teachers out there into the public schools so wouldn't approve them ultimately -- if -- can't afford the private school he canceled that a public school in get a decent education.

What the union and the teachers agreed to those -- valuation standards earlier this year now they're trying to take them back.

The bottom line is -- let's at least have them in place for awhile and judge teachers -- part in large part by -- the students perform.

And that's one way to judge -- no one is talking about firing teachers but we cannot get a for the teachers that need help but need more training in order to become good teachers.

We sure remind people that the Chicago Public Schools have a deficit some three billion dollars.

Over the next three years so this is a system -- has big financial problems.

-- Rahm Emanuel is calling this a strike of choice they are so close on money he says.

That the teachers -- just choosing to strike.

Is there.

Going to be some kind of wait a public employees public workers can come to some kind of middle ground.

With -- people who are managing the country's cities towns.

Public schools per you know fire departments.

To find common ground so that we can have systems that work.

Well it's inevitable because the cities are going bankrupt Illinois can't pay for its pensions.

Look mayor Emmanuel put on the table -- 16%.

Salary increase over four years.

How many of your viewers are getting a 16% increase guaranteed over the next -- years very few.

So this the teachers that the public employees are going to have to give back and also get some more flexibility so they can but not bound by these ridiculous rules.

And if we don't do that I can tell you we're we're gonna go we're gonna go to more privatization.

And believe me the public employees -- not -- like that.

Well John fund thanks for coming on tonight so it's great to see you appreciate your time banks.

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