PACT: ProActive Chicago Teachers and School Employees

Sun-Times Response on PATs, May 2006

We write to correct several errors in your April 27 article "Chicago Principals Flunk More than 1,000 Teachers." First, nearly 1,000 annual layoffs have been the norm in the Chicago Public School system at least over the decade. Second, the contract provisions governing probationary teachers do not apply to teacher layoffs--the layoff provisions do. And third, even when probationary teachers are displaced from a school for non-budget reasons, they are not "fired" or "flunked", as most go on to find positions in other schools in the system.

The nearly 1,000 annual layoffs, due to the changing demographics and mobility of a system serving 435,000 students in 600 schools, never received much attention before because those teachers who were being displaced--or laid off--were known as full time basis substitute teachers. These were 4,000 certified and qualified teachers who performed the duties of any other teacher, but were second class citizens in an unfair caste system. The current contract eliminated this caste system, allowed those teachers--and all new teachers--the opportunity to get on the tenure track. Principals did not get new rights under this agreement. They never had to provide probationary teachers with notice or reason for displacement. Nor did probationary teachers lose any rights--and they've gained the right to be on the tenure track.

But this section of the contract does not even apply in the current situation. As the public well knows, the Chicago Board of Education has been crying poor mouth for months. Most, if not all of the displacements, are for budget reasons. The contract is clear: layoffs for budget reasons fall require that seniority applies.

Finally, principals cannot "flunk" teachers. The union contract does not provide for any process of "principals sitting at their computers...pressing a button", though it makes for attention-getting headlines to talk about principals "flunking" teachers. And what about helping teachers? Another contract provision calls for a new system of real help and support for new techers. Where is the press on that provision--and the lack of follow through? The system makes a huge investment in new teachers when it hires them, yet makes no effort to support them in the challenging first years. It's the reason that half of our new teachers leave within their first three to five years. Perhaps it's time to grade how well Chicago's principals--and other administrators--attract and retain good new teachers. Instead of doing the really tough work of training and supporting young teachers, the leadership of the system puts more emphasis on politics and spin. It's shameful.

The Facts about PATs

FACT: the FTB designation is now dead- after 32 years of abuse, no more can principals withhold "appointment" of a teacher on a whim; this cruel form of principal abuse left thousands of CTU members at their mercy and delayed their attainment of tenure rights for years;

FACT: FTB's did not have job security: they did not have the right to enter the reserve pool if they were displaced; nor did they have the right to notice or due process of appointed teachers;

FACT: our new contract language eliminated FTB status and resulted in over 3,000 CTU members becoming automatically appointed on July 1, 2004 and almost 1,00 more since then;

FACT: in exchange for the elimination of the much-abused FTB designation, CTU agreed to language which reflects state law regarding probationary assigned teachers (PATs) regarding notice of renewal/non-renewal;

FACT: Probationary Assigned Teachers (PAT) never had the same due process rights as tenured assigned teachers-that's what being tenured is all about;

FACT: A PAT displaced from a school is not fired from CPS and can seek a position in another school and the appointed status follows him or her;

FACT: we now have language which clarifies a "true vacancy" so that the CPS cannot play games with positions like it used to do; now temporarily assigned teachers (TAT's) must be appointed within days of a position being vacant and we finally have a clear definition of "vacant position"to avoid further abuse.

FICTION: That these changes aren't good for CTU members--just ask the 4,000+ CTU members who have been appointed under this contract and are now well on their way to the full benefits of the tenure track!

Tenure--it's the real job protection!