A pollster linked to Mayor Rahm Emanuel is now using robo-calls to take the public's temperature on Emanuel's school reform plan.
On Tuesday evening, Chicagoans received a phone call from Resolute Solutions, asking leading questions about the mayor’s plans to lengthen the school year, establish charter schools and implement parent contracts.
Resolute Solutions is owned by Greg Goldner, who managed Emanuel’s 2002 Congressional campaign, and set up For A Better Chicago, the pro-Emanuel PAC that exploited loopholes in the campaign finance laws to keep its contributors secret.
Julie Woestehoff, who blogs for Parents United for Responsible Education, a Chicago Public Schools watchdog, called the survey “Rahm’s nasty little poll,” and is accusing Goldner’s company of carrying out a push poll for the mayor’s benefit. Here are a few of the questions, according to Woestehoff, who was taking notes during the phone call:
5) This question began with a long statement about how short the Chicago school day is in comparison with schools in Illinois and in Houston, blah blah blah, then asked if you think your child spends enough time in school. (Choices – Yes/No/Not sure)
6) This question started with a statement about the 200+ schools in CPS that are consistently underperforming and asked who you blame the most:
- The state of Illinois
- The Chicago Public Schools
- The Chicago Teachers Union
- Parents
- Teachers
7) This questions started off with a statement about “open enrollment schools” that admit students “of all abilities” and don’t have the “limitations” of “rules and regulations” of regular schools, then asked if you would like to enroll your child in a charter school. (Choices: Yes/No/Not sure)
Those all sound like leading questions. How many parents will say their children spend enough time in school, especially after hearing that kids in Houston have a longer school year? It’s also interesting that Question 6 gives respondents the option of blaming both the teachers and the teachers’ union for underperforming schools.
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