CTU Wants To Meet With Aldermen

The Chicago Teachers Union wants its chance to explain why it doesn't want a longer school day to city aldermen.

Union President Karen Lewis sent letters to the city leaders on Wednesday inviting them to attend a private meeting Monday at a Loop hotel to "share our vision for Chicago's public school educators and students," according to the Chicago Tribune.

The letter also said they plan to talk about school funding, teacher retention, merit pay and school violence.

The CTU has taken issue with the way Mayor Rahm Emanuel's school board is implementing the longer day, and this month, the union sued the board for allegedly coercing union-represented teachers into voting in the extra time this school year.

The union hopes to get support from aldermen for two ordinances -- one that would declare a surplus in the TIF districts that pull tax revenue away from schools and one that would require watchmen to be placed in vacant buildings near schools.

Emanuel welcomed news of the meeting, saying he's encouraged that Chicago has moved from a city discussing whether to implement longer school days to one that is instead discussing how to implement them.
 

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