Like similar discussions at other schools, the debate at Agassiz was wide-ranging. Some parents supported the longer day, arguing that it helps teachers and parents. Others said Mayor Rahm Emanuel's offer of incentives is merely a political effort to break the strength of the Chicago Teachers Union.
?I want you to think about it,? Ingrid Kromer, a member of the local school council, told teachers at the school. ?It's one school year of making a sacrifice. It's taking a little risk so we can have some extra money.?The school?s teachers have informally rejected working a longer day. But they have yet to hold a formal vote on the issue.
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Emanuel and Chicago Public Schools chief Jean-Claude Brizard have promised $150,000 in discretionary money for schools ready to start a longer day this month and a $1,250 bonus for each of those teachers. Schools ready to start in January would gain $75,000, and their teachers each would receive an $800 bonus.
But some parents at Agassiz said the school should reject the money. They were willing to raise the necessary funds.
?This just seems like CPS is trying to put money out there to turn people against each other,? said Julie Rakay, parent of a kindergartner and an incoming pre-schooler. ?I'd rather send my kids to a school that stands with its union. My kids? well-being is directly related to their teachers' well-being.?
Some felt any effort to add 90 minutes this month was too rushed. Others asked for a compromise, such as a longer school day in January.
So far, teachers at seven schools across the city have voted for the additional instruction time for students.
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The union has filed a complaint with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board asking for those votes to be rejected. The union believes the CPS administration is using the financial incentives as ?carrot-stick bargaining? to go around the union.
CTU spokeswoman Stephanie Gadlin said the district?s board has gone around the union to enforce a system-wide policy that required teachers to waive critical parts of their contract.
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?What they are doing now ?- soliciting ?yes? votes in exchange for incentives such as bonuses, resources for their schools, and money -- is unethical and illegal,? Gadlin said.
The district?s administration has insisted that both state law and the union contract allow for the waivers to be used to implement longer days at schools that choose that option.
In the meantime, the union is looking at floating a proposal for a longer school day in 2012-2013 that adds 75 minutes extra for students but keeps teachers' work schedules the same.
The CTU?s offer -- based on a schedule for University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, the private school where Emanuel's children attend classes -- calls for an hour more in art, 30 minutes more in music, 75 minutes more in physical education and 90 minutes for a world language class. But it cuts the current time devoted to writing by 10 minutes and the time spent on math by 15 minutes.
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It also proposes an extra hour each in science and social studies instruction, 15 minutes more in the library and a half-hour more on computers.
CPS spokeswoman Becky Carroll said with students needing extra instruction time, ?we are open to any discussion that will help make that happen.?
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