Rahm Emanuel’s Chicago School Crisis

[Davienne]

 

http://politicaloutcast.com/2012/09/rahm-emanuels-chicago-school-cr...

 

 

400,000 students are on the streets today after 26,000 Chicago public school  teachers walked out on failed contract negotiations. Mayor Rahm Emanuel, feeling  the need to state the obvious, said that he wasn’t in favor of the strike and  that it was both “wrong” and completely “avoidable.” That’s a small consolation  for the Chicago Police Department, which has been put on notice that nearly a  half million kids will be without day care until union and school district  officials can come to some sort of resolve.

Rejecting a $400 million plan, which would have effectively raised most  teachers’ salaries 16% over four years, the union showed little concern for  education, despite the mayor’s declaration that “the kids of Chicago belong in  the classroom.” Proving that they completely understand Obamanomics, union  officials rejected the deal, even though the school district was already  predicting a $1 billion deficit at the end of this school year—and that was  before the proposed $400 million increase. If Obama can create nearly $800  billion with the simple stroke of his pen, shouldn’t his former chief of staff  be expected to be able to do the same with a mere $1 billion? It’s a valid  question.

Chicago educators watched the government intervene to “save” General Motors,  despite years of reckless spending and bloated pension packages. Why should  Detroit get all the government gravy, while the Chicago School District is  forced to make cuts? Budgets and deficits are so 20^th  century;  things like this are of no consequence in the brave new economy of the  21^st century.

Emanuel is personally dealing with a problem created by his own mentor in  economic issues. The problem is that Emanuel doesn’t control the printing  presses, Obama does. Obama can make reckless decisions with other people’s  money, but Emanuel actually has to live within his means. One parent believes  that this strike is going to “divide our city” and that it’s “going to get  ugly.” Indeed it will. Once parents realize that they are going to lose their  tax-supported childcare for more than a few days, things are going to heat up  fast. Parents aren’t going to sympathize with teachers so long as their own  daily routine and way of life is affected.

Big city politics, especially in a city the size of Chicago, can get out of  control in a hurry. It will be more than interesting to watch how Emanuel tries  to defuse this ticking time bomb. This could very well end up being a key issue  in the 2012 presidential election, if he can’t get the unions and school  officials to some sort of agreement—and fast. This is one to keep your eyes  on.

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