"They foster a loyalty among their faculty, which is represented by a union. They pay them well, give them good benefits, and make sure they get extra money for the additional after-school time they put in coaching, tutoring, directing the school play, etc."

I'm pretty sure that CPS also pays teachers extra money for the work they do on extracurricular activities. At least that's what one or two teachers have said in the comments here on past articles. Oddly enough, they were using that to argue that this essentially sets a precedent that teachers should always be paid extra if their workday increases at all. So they made the case that this was evidence in support of their entitlement to be paid more for a longer school day. In any case, I don't think there is a contrast between the two school districts with regard to extra compensation for after school activities.

It certainly would be lovely to pay the teachers at CPS the same salary as New Trier teachers. I'm sure, all other things equal (i.e. we ignore the fact that it would bankrupt the district and that CPS would basically have to increase all class sizes to about 300 or 400 to 1), that would have a meaningfully positive effect on learning. But where do you think the money would come from to do this? Please don't say TIFs. You have to be realistic that there just are not the financial resources to pay the teachers in Chicago something along the lines that they get at New Trier. In the future, if taxpayers feel that the district is using its money wisely and getting a good bang for its bucks they may support a tax increase that could make salaries reasonably competitive with elite schools. But there is no way in the world that anything like this can move forward when the public rightly perceives the district to be a complete mess financially and otherwise and when it seems every decision requires a vicious battle with the teachers union.

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This is a broken, ill man. Anyone reading his 17-page interview can see he cannot put one sentence together without evading his interviewer. A truly sad, shocking view into the mind of the man in charge of Chicago's schools, and the city in general. It is apparently clear why his press conferences are generally referred to by the media as dog and pony shows. He has to control his message because any true, genuine exploration into his mind and workings of the office will demonstrate a shocking disdain of the public trust.

Unfortunately, his political influence, connections and genius for playing the system has gotten him top positions in his career, even up to amassing a fortune. In a time of unprecidented corruption and scandal, it is an indictment of the evils of our time and a political and social system that is broken.

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By the way, I don't think I would hold up the fact that public anger caused New Trier not to be able to open up a second real high school as if it was something positive. All that shows is that many rich individuals, just like many middle class and lower income people, don't like change and will often successfully obstruct an advancement of the community's interests if it disrupts their lives in the short term. I cannot imagine how a good argument can be made that it is educationally (or organizationally) beneficial to have one school that serves only freshmen and another that serves upperclassmen. For one thing, aren't there some freshmen who would be at a high enough level that they should be in certain classes with sophomores or higher? Certainly, in most high schools it isn't the case that all freshmen always only take classes with other freshmen. But at New Trier, I guess that's the way that has to be done. Also, it would seem to put a lot of impediments on which faculty can teach what classes. Are basically the best teachers always only teaching upperclassmen at the Winnetka school? Are the teachers at the Wilmette school essentially only teaching freshmen classes? If so, that would seem to be very unfortunate. The freshmen year of high school often is when students form views about what interests them and this may have a profound effect on the rest of their lives. I don't think it would be helpful if their teachers cannot provide them with the experience that results from teaching higher level students. Or perhaps New Trier teachers spend a good portion of their time driving from one school to the other. That obviously wouldn't be very efficient, especially since the two schools probably are about four of five miles away from each other. It takes time out of the day when they could be teaching and presumably they are compensated for gas (and if not then the fact they have this expense would undoubtedly be taken into account in decisions about salaries). And there would also seem to be a negative effect from freshmen students not being around and learning from their more advanced peers.

New Trier, of course, has so many advantages that it is not as if this would likely take away the fact that they are a very elite school that provides a great education. But it definitely would seem to be something that would have a significant detrimental effect on education and on the ability of the district to be run efficiently. So Ben, in my opinion, shouldn't be acting as if the district's caving into parental opposition to a new (real) high school is something good. And I also don't think it often is positive if CPS caves into parental opposition to such things as school closings and reorganizations. That doesn't mean they shouldn't be listened to and might not have some good points. Sometimes they might actually be right. But the best decisions are what should be good long term for students and the district as a whole. The parental opposition in these cases normally comes from a lack of certainty and prospects for disruption in their lives. That often goes against smart long term decisions.

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To the first commenter re: extra-curriculars the answer is mostly not.
I have taught more than a couple extra-curricular subjects without pay. Sports do get some money, but drama, mock trial, chess, language and culture clubs, no.

that being said, there are some city-wde organizations that front the tab for SOME teacher-extras, such as Mikva Challenge, and After School Matters. However, more and more of these jobs are being cut, and/or not going to full-time educators.

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ah, those Illinois Open Meetings Act jokes, gets 'em every time

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