Re: Additional days for teachers, kids

["George N. Schmidt" <Csubstance@AOL.COM>]

In a message dated 3/15/01 6:40:21 AM, gbracey@EROLS.COM writes:

<< Comments, anyone?  This is more than idle curiosity on my part as I might
be called to testify at the State Board meeting next week.

 >>

Chicago tried to do this since the Vallas administration began, with
incrementally earlier starting times until by last summer some teachers were
beginning by mid-August, and the kids were all supposed to be in by August
22.

A month ago, the school board quietly dropped the idea and pushed the
starting date for the children back to after Labor Day.

The reason was that about a quarter of the kids wouldn't show up for "school"
in August (especially since many of them had been in summer school until the
week before "regular school" began). There was a big media flap about it
(finally) last August and September.

Another problem was that most of our schools don't have air conditioning, and
it was simply dysfunctional. One child died after an asthma attack, which was
probably prompted by the oppressive heat. Paul Vallas actually issued a press
release insisting that the heat (in the 90s in that child's classroom the
morning of his death) had nothing to do with the death.

The tourism protection law also protects students and teachers from
compulsive bureaucrats who usually work in air conditioned offices themselves.

George Schmidt

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