Two schools reject early start for longer school day, CPS says

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Updated: November 10, 2011 11:11AM

Chicago Public School officials revealed for the first time Thursday that teachers at two schools had voted against joining a longer-school-day pilot, despite the offer of a two percent raise and up to $150,000 per school.

Coleman and Burnham Elementary were “the first” schools in which teachers formally refused to waive the existing teachers contract, by 11-9 and 9-8 margins, respectively, CPS officials said in a news release.

Chicago Teachers Union officials contend teachers at far more schools — more than 30 — have either formally or informally rejected joining the longer-day pilot, and often by much larger margins. The union’s count could not immediately be verified. More than 480 elementary schools are eligible to vote.

CPS “cannot keep up the Potemkin village effect of pretending this is a slam dunk,” said Jackson Potter, chief of staff to CTU President Karen Lewis. “The vast majority of teachers absolutely reject this.”

At a House of Delegates meeting Wednesday night, union delegates were resoundingly against the idea, Potter said.

Meanwhille, waiver approvals at Fiske and Howe Elementary Thursday brought to nine the number of schools that have taken up Mayor Emanuel’s call to add 90 minutes to the school day this school year — well before a new law allows CPS to impose a longer day next school year.

“Teachers across CPS continue to embrace the longer school day as a means to boost student achievement,” according to a joint statement by Emanuel, Schools CEO Jean-Claude Brizard and CPS Board President David Vitale. The public officials commended the teachers who rejected the idea for at least discussing it. “This is a critical dialogue,” the trio said.

Lewis has contended the Emanuel and CPS waiver push amounts to a “declaration of war” on the union and an attempt to bypass its ability to bargain collectively on behalf of its members.

This week CTU officials released a proposal for a longer school day they want to discuss after the current contract expires June 30. It is fashioned in part on the schedule some students now enjoy at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, where Emanuel’s children attend classes.

Also Thursday, CTU released the names of five people — three teachers as well as a representative from both Parents United for Responsible Education and the Kenwood Oakland Community Organization — the union is nominating to sit on a Longer-Day Advisory Board that Lewis herself has refused to join.

CTU officials said Brizard himself asked Lewis to produce some names and now she has. CPS spokeswoman Becky Carroll said CPS still wants Lewis “at the table side by side with CEO Brizard.”