this is not my rant. this is the rant from a psyche worker in chicago public schools. karen lewis.

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. Baloney. Central office determines the budget for each school.

You also think the "more staff" all have time to run a library as well as their other duties? As if teachers and other staff sit around needing more work to do? More baloney.

Karen Lewis has revolutionized her union in Chicago and is a model for unions across the country now. I'm proud to call her a friend. And yes, if I lived in Chicago, I'd vote for her as mayor in a heartbeat. She's far more progressive that Rahm and also more faithful to the principles of the Democratic party. Are we all still Democrats here?

Now since the majority of schools CPS and Rahm are closing are those serving minority kids, and the percentage of African American teachers in Chicago has dropped from 41% to 25% as a result of layoffs, then we should expect a connection to racism. It's a no-brainer.

Black teachers make up 29 percent of all CPS teachers, but were 43 percent of all those laid off last year, the union says. White teachers are 47 percent of the total but were 36 percent of the layoffs.
http://www.peoplesworld.org/chicago-teachers-union-black-teachers-students-most-affected-by-school-closings/

In 2000, 52 percent of Chicago Public Schools (CPS) students and 41 percent of CPS teachers were black. Today, 43 percent of students and just 25 percent of teachers are black.
http://www.austinweeklynews.com/News/Articles/1-30-2013/Disappearing-acts:-The-decline-of-black-teachers/