WEEKEND QUOTABLES

David Orr -- "Chicago ain't broke..."

Chicago mayor's TIF slush fund

“There’s a giant myth being spread all across this land ... that local governments have no money, they need to take it out of the backs of teachers, take away their pensions. Chicago ain’t broke. Chicago has put $2 billion tax dollars that the public doesn’t know about into these TIFs and there’s another $500 million being added every year. There needs to be a moratorium on these TIFs because there has been enormous abuse. They are supposed to go to blighted areas. It’s gone to Willis Towers. It’s gone to Grossinger. It’s gone to other major corporations. As we uncover the mayor’s slush fund, which this is, we’re going to discover that money can go to help the schools.” -- Cook County Clerk David Orr

New study: NCLB is a total bust

"These methods satisfy the adults because you can walk away and say, 'I really kicked ass - I made them abolish their school,' " said Jennings, president of the group that conducted the study. "But instead of shaking up the school, it may be that we need to improve instruction."-- S.F. Chronicle

Bloomberg's parent liaisons

We're looking for "Happy Harrys,” and not “Angry Sallys." -- New York Times

Paying Florida's teachers based on test scores

"Currently, annual teacher evaluations are subjective and very few teachers receive negative reviews. For the first time, an objective measure of teacher effectiveness — based on standardized tests that measure student learning — will be part of annual evaluations." -- Jeb Bush in the Chicago Tribune