Forget Teacher Appreciation Week. Rahm offers teachers a 7% pay cut.

F#*k Teacher Appreciation Week. -- Rahm Emanuel

Grez Hinz got it wrong. On May Day, the Crain's political columnist offered us a somewhat rosy picture of the Board/CTU contract negotiations.

In fact, after talking to sources on both sides of the bargaining table, I'm convinced that there is reason for a little quiet optimism.

But whatever openings for a reasonable contract agreement Hinz saw after his interview with union VP Jesse Sharkey, have all apparently been exorcised by Rahm's insulting offer of a 7% pay cut. A bargaining non-starter.

Forget that his schools chief is on the lam, hiding out in the face of the federal SUPES/Synesi investigation. The Little Emperor is back on the offensive, lashing out again at the CTU. Another possible teachers strike be damned.

He's determined to show Karen Lewis who's boss. How dare she/they endorse his opponent, Chuy Garcia in the mayor's race?

As I'm writing this, I'm listening to Rahm holding forth in the City Council, where Gov. Rauner is about to make an appearance. Rahm claims that he disagrees with drinking buddy Rauner on the so-called right-to-work. He claims he is against any plan for city development based on union busting and driving down the wages of city workers. And yet, here he is pushing pension theft and teacher union give-backs.

Karen Lewis responds:

"Once again, the board has created a fiscal crisis in order to justify its continued attack on our classrooms and communities. CPS is broke on purpose. By citing its so-called $1.5 billion deficit, the mayor is proposing a reduction in teaching staff which will result in larger class sizes and the loss of teaching positions."

"How do you reject having librarians do their job as opposed to serving as subs most of the day? How do you reject proposals to strengthen special education instruction or strengthen the implementation of restorative justice programs to reduce conflict in our schools?" 

CBS 2’s Brad Edwards talked with some worried parents.

“I’m concerned that they will strike and my kids missing school,” said parent Robert Thornton.

“If we don’t have good teachers … we don’t have anything … thank you,” said CPS grandmother Patricia Guilford.

“You’re gonna have a brain drain,” said CPS teacher Michael Bruesch. “No one is going to want to go into teaching.”

“Who hurts? Not Rahm,” Bruesch said. “Who hurts? The kids…the kids, the parents, the teachers…that’s whose getting hurt.”