Obama's School Turnaround Strategy Means Everybody Gets Fired - Including The School Lunch Lady

[Hannah Bell]

In Chicago, the strategy is called "turnaround," and it involves removing everyone who works in a failing school. Proponents—including U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan—say failing schools need to start over with a clean slate.

Dan Abraham disagrees. He’s is with the union that represents most Chicago lunchroom workers.

ABRAHAM: Schools that are not achieving educationally are not going to be fixed by changing the lunch ladies.

Numbers obtained by WBEZ show that over three years, 285 support staff lost their positions in Chicago turnarounds. The district says just 14 employees won jobs back in those schools. About one in five found positions elsewhere in the system. The turnaround strategy is going national. The federal government yesterday announced it’s giving Illinois $147 million to fix its lowest performing schools. Turnaround is one option districts can use.

http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2010/08/obamas-school-turnaround-strategy-means.html

[Lucky 13]

1. This is getting embarrassing.

Anti-teacher, anti-union, anti-lower/middle class.

Let's get it together people.

[Bluebear]

7. The people have it together. The administration, not so much.

[Lucky 13]

9. Word up, woodchuck

[Dinger]

78. Sums It Up Pretty Well

Very embarrassing. Obama and duncan can so kiss my ass.

[asdjrocky]

2. Noooooo!

Not the Lunch Lady-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_-KbstEG4E

[Betty]

3. and when the next brand new crew comes in

and does no better than the ones just fired, they'll get shit canned too. What could possibly go wrong when things are so well thought out?

[roguevalley]

32. these fuckers think they know how to do this because they were in

fifth grade once.

[Whisp]

60. that's what I was thinking..

you are talking about those here that think they know how to do a better job at education, right? I agree, something must be done.

or are you saying some here havent been to fifth grade?

what?
I don't understand, but don't stand up and worry.

[roguevalley]

104. what I mean is, some people feel they understand and know

education and can step in and meddle because they once went to fifth grade, elementary, etc. Since they were once school kids, they know. They don't. Its harder than it looks.

[daleanime]

4. Are they serious? That's the plan?

Fire every one?:rofl:

[Bluebear]

12. word

[QC]

5. Hopetastic! n/t

[laureloak]

6. Finally someone has the courage to boot bad teachers. n/t

[Bluebear]

8. Yayy!!!! And those bad lunch ladies are out of a job too!

:silly:

[QC]

10. Lunchlady Doris made me fail English! n/t

[Bluebear]

11. 'Boot' her! 'Boot' her I say!

[frylock]

33. that's unpossible!

[QC]

57. I found a moonrock in my nose. n/t

[DrDan]

19. you forgot the sarcasm thingie

[Forkboy]

20. You failed school because of a PB&J?

[proud2BlibKansan]

24. Reading. It's fundamental.

The OP is about cafeteria workers.

[Ignis]

28. Yes, because that's certainly the #1 problem with the US educational system.

:eyes:

[fascisthunter]

71. but that isn't what is happening so you are wrong

[Subdivisions]

87. Yea, I remember how the janitors made my education so difficult. They gotta go too. n/t

[Marr]

100. That is shameful.

I think that's the most blatant example I've yet seen of someone throwing basic ideals under the bus in favor of supporting a damned politician.

[laureloak]

13. Of course a most important line was omitted from the OP:

The program restructures the entire school and MOST EMPLOYEES CAN REAPPLY FOR THEIR JOBS.

[Bluebear]

15. AT BEGINNING PAY. You're OK with that for the lunch lady, are you? "Of course"?

[damntexdem]

16. Oh, yes, that old scam.

Nobody really gets fooled by 'you can always reapply.'

[Bluebear]

17. But, she put it in CAPITAL LETTERS!

:silly:

[Forkboy]

21. It's not about the kids, it's not about the teachers...it's about protecting Obama.

The Cult of Personality is strong in this one.

[Bluebear]

56. :nodding:

[Hannah Bell]

22. out of the 257 fired, only 13 were rehired for their same jobs. & they restarted at the bottom of

the scale.

you can't be trying to justify this blatant anti-labor policy.

[laureloak]

23. Wonder why?

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

29. Why? nt

[Go2Peace]

64. Perfectly appropriate response to callousness

this shit sounds so much like the type of crap Republicans say and think

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

66. You don't know the half.

Check out some of its other posts.

[Hannah Bell]

no, i don't wonder why. i know why. & i know why you're defending anti-labor policies, too.

[frylock]

35. why don't you fill us in, jeenyus?

[readmoreoften]

81. And here we have another union-busting, right-wing thug "New Democrat"

With friends like you we don't need enemies.

[Bluebear]

30. Yes. She is justifying just that, nt

[Hannah Bell]

36. love these "new democrats".

[Name removed]

38. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Whisp]

61. who were the other 244?

not replaced at all? or were only 13 that were rehired that started at the bottom of the scale.

Hey, if you want to educate us dumbasses, fill in some blanks that make sense to us fifth grade dropouts (that had lousy teachers)

[Go2Peace]

65. Sorry you didn't make it through school

But there are plenty of programs that help motivated young people get back on track. We have problem teachers, but we have as many problem parents and students. It helps no-one to not take responsability for our own failures. It only hurts ourselves.

I was brought up in a broken family. I could blame a lot on that. It caused me a lot of disruption during my school years. But I went on to pay for a college degree anyway, on my own, when I decided it was best I better myself.

Not that everyone needs to complete college, or even high school. You can find ways to live a decent life with many levels of education. But blaming it all on others is not a good way to approach it. That is as much a problem with schools as teachers. In fact this whole meme that the problems are the teachers fault is just bullshit. In most cases it simply is not the fact.

But go ahead and buy the Republican view. They seems to be quite popular with some "democrats" on this site these days.

[boston bean]

25. did you miss the statistics outlined in the OP?

[frylock]

34. and i'm sure it won't be at a substantially lower wage

[PA Democrat]

50. Arne Duncan can promote his Race to the Top program while

he's actually aiding and abetting the race to the bottom for working America's wages.

Cheap labor, it's not just for Republicans.

[Raineyb]

37. If they are qualified for a job they're already holding why the hell would they need to reapply?

This is a blatant union busting scam. And the people who prepare the lunches have dick to do with the test scores.

This is really quite pathetic even by the usual excuse-making standards.

[Name removed]

40. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Bluebear]

42. Thank you.

[LWolf]

58. Leaving their union contract behind. nt

[QC]

88. BINGO!

Give that man a gold star!

[LWolf]

96. Woman, lol.

Thanks for the star. :hi:

[QC]

97. It's better than a drug test, isn't it? n/t

[LWolf]

99. Much better.

When the administration shows up at my door with a cup for me to pee in, I'm not answering.

[Go2Peace]

63. The district says just 14 employees won jobs back in those schools.

1 in 5 found positions elsewhere in the system. That means 80% of SUPPORT STAFF (Not Teachers) are unemployed now.

Um.... you seem to be having trouble READING? And what is the new Value of the Democratic Party? Fire EVERYONE? That sounds more like ye Republicans.

[Name removed]

72. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Subdivisions]

92. Doesn't matter, she's run away from this thread like a thoroughbred race horse. n/t

[MadHound]

103. So, tell me what, can we come into your place of employment, fire everybody,

Thus forcing them to reapply, perhaps losing pension benefits along the way, not to mention seniority. Even if you are rehired, it may not be at your old position, but something entirely new, and your own personal supplies and resources aren't oriented for that particular job, therefore you have to spend your money on new stuff. Would all of this be OK with you? Oh, not to mention the two, three months of extra stress and anxiety.

If it was you, I doubt you would be so casually accepting of it. So why do you think it is OK for other people to go through this madness?

[damntexdem]

14. What, she provided inadequate food for thought?

The whole no-child testing scam has been such a plague.

[DrDan]

18. We don't see this strategy with the military and their bungled wars.

He still trusts their judgement.

With schools, however, he is willing to let the bureaucrats make the decisions - removing experienced educators.

bizarro

[Name removed]

26. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[quinnox]

27. Keep firing up that base, Obama!

This will surely get teachers and educators out to vote for Dems!

{sarcasm}

[Dinger]

79. gabby gibbs + duncan = political suicide

Mission accomplished assholes.

[amborin]

31. K&R

[Starry Messenger]

39. It's completely stupid.

This whole scheme is union busting and breaking the morale and the institutional memory of the school. It's like legally laying siege and shelling the defenses. Sooner or later we will all give up. This makes me ill.

[unapatriciated]

52. That's exactly what it is ...union busting.

[Ramulux]

41. Damn, I really wish we had won in 2008

then maybe Arne Duncan wouldnt have been appointed. Wait, what?

[readmoreoften]

82. +1. There are some right-wing policies that only a Democratic president can achieve.

Nightmares that would never be tolerated by a Republican are defended under Democrats. And the ruling class knows that. Which is why Democrats are the second most popular ruling class party.

[proud2BlibKansan]

43. Damn. They found her out!

[golddigger]

44. Fired up!

[dsc]

45. This is so absurd

I can actually see using a turn around model in some, very limited, circumstances but especially given the fact that the lunch ladies don't get rewarded when the students do well, it is unfair to punish them under this model. This is union busting, pure and simple.

[PA Democrat]

46. OK. I DARE anyone to defend this.

[Hello_Kitty]

47. Someone did. Upthread.

It's just peachy that everyone got to reapply for their jobs at beginning pay and only 13 got rehired.

[Hannah Bell]

48. my error. 14. the poster is vindicated!

[Subdivisions]

93. Yes, but she ran away from it like a scalded dog. n/t

[Hannah Bell]

49. check here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=8940786&mesg_id=8941488


and here: (in response to "only 13 got rehired")

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=8940786&mesg_id=8941787

[PA Democrat]

51. Yikes! Such a progressive attitude.

Who knew? Cheap labor advocates right here on DU.

[Catshrink]

53. Just a thought...

Wonder if the WH has hired infiltrators to praise Obama all the time, you know, because he can do no wrong.

[QC]

90. I think that, sadly, they are happy to give it away for free. n/t

[Marr]

101. I am absolutely convinced of it.

It's become a standard marketing practice to pay people specifically to babysit certain blogs, Twitter accounts, etc. They don't identify themselves as company spokesmen-- they're only supposed to be present, to take the pulse of these outlets, and try to steer the dialogue in a favorable direction whenever possible.

If stodgy corporations will pay people to do that so they can sell more soda/computers/etc., I'm sure our political parties and lobbyist groups are doing it as well.

[Hannah Bell]

54. you hadn't noticed yet?

[PA Democrat]

55. Yeah, I've noticed. But it still is shocking and sad.

[salin]

59. Absurd policy.

:crazy: yet more one sign that we have hit a point of societal insanity.

[KakistocracyHater]

62. it sounds like Chicago is to the national school system, what Texas was

to the national school system under W, but now it's Obama's turn to force a knnown route to failure.

[Jefferson23]

67. Arne Duncan is a nightmare, how I wish Obama would drop this atrocious

plan.

[oldlib]

68. The USA Public School System

is working well. The response to your post is a testimony to how effective it is. I suspect that most of the responders are not college graduates. Don't mess with the public school system in this country.

[tomp]

69. obama seems to be going out of his way to create enemies.

what is up with that?

[ensho]

70. both my elementary school and Jr. H.S. had no lunch room or lunch

ladies.

we carried our lunch to school

so it has been done and can be done

[Catshrink]

73. You totally miss the point.

[ensho]

74. do I?

nt

[readmoreoften]

84. Yes, you do. Who do you think cooked your damn lunch?

[ensho]

105. my mother made my lunch - a cold sandwich

I didn't think of her as a lunch lady

what's it to you - why are you bent out of shape because I carried a lunch to school and on the thread I said it can be done - schools without lunch rooms or lunch ladies?

[TheKentuckian]

86. What is the Reich wing point you are failing to make?

[ensho]

106. you are not making sense

nt

[Subdivisions]

95. Oh no, not you too, ensho! Are you fucking kidding me??? n/t

[ensho]

107. what are you talking about?

nt

[sufrommich]

75. The privatization of custodians, bus drivers, kitchen workers

and any other group of non instructional workers in schools has been going on for years. I attended my local districts board meeting where it was done 3 years ago. The teachers got a raise that year. Where was all the outrage when it wasn't affecting teachers?

http://cupe.ca/P3_Alert__August_200/School_workers_losin

While the meeting for privatizing the Garden City School custodians was going on, the locks were being changed in every school so the custodians could not return to their buildings. Life went on in the schools with very little fanfair.There was no great outpouring of solidarity.

[readmoreoften]

83. Because it wasn't directly being done by a Democratic president and it wasn't the largest union in

America.

No union busting has ever been defensible, but let's not make it out like buying into the forced division between intellectual labor and physical labor is the real problem here.

When unions are busted in university teaching the public scoffs and says that such "elite workers" don't need unions--usually referring to "real working class" people who "actually deserve" unions. For this reason, most of the teaching jobs created in universities now pay $12K-$30K a year, for full time work, almost always with no benefits and no job security and no mobility.

There needs to be more solidarity between all workers, period.

[sufrommich]

94. Most custodians and bus drivers are indeed in the NEA.

Yes, there should be solidarity among workers as there should have been in the past.Like when one chooses a foreign car over a UAW built car or sits out the past decade of blue collar union jobs being privatized until it finally comes for their whit collar job.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

76. Change-a-licious!!!

[Doremus]

77. Union busting, that's all this is about. That, and funneling more public $$$ into private hands.

Never thought I'd see the day that Dems would be union busters.

Fuck Arne Duncan, his minions and whoever is pulling the strings.



(Damn. This country isn't going to be recognizable in a decade or two....) :scared:

[Dinger]

80. You're Right

and it's obvious who else needs to shove it.

[Octafish]

91. No unions mean no political opposition to the Corporate State.

Works for a while.

[Name removed]

85. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[TheKentuckian]

89. This shit is well beyond the pale and indefensible so some fuckwit woodchucks will be by

with a ton of sewage, malarkey about Sarah "the scarecrow" Palin, and never loving Obama.

This is the kind of bullshit that makes the shrubs and half governors to be avoided.

Neoliberals and neocons are the same fuckers with different sales pitches on why they are doing the exact same evil shit.

[progressoid]

98. Ah yes. Ye ole Ronald - Reagan - air - traffic - controller gambit.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

102. perhaps it should be the Education sec who should be fired?

this isnn't too good. I want a new one.

[ensho]

108. DUers know I'm pro Union and I have nothing against lunch ladies

I was merely stating a fact. that I didn't have a lunch room until H.S. and we all survived on our mother's lunches.

cripe

[ecstatic]

109. Where is the outrage for the failed students?

:shrug: SMH.