Be featured in the social pages AND help teachers? Why not?
I always like to open my two cents with a clear disclosure.
I went to public school from kindergarten all the way through college.I was one of those 'ooh, ooh, ooh' kids who always raised her hand out of turn.
I have a 21 month old babe and have no idea where we will be sending her to school.
My elementary school told my parents that I was too advanced and needed a private girls school in Michigan. My parents told the principal to give me more work.
I stayed in public school.
I've been intrigued by the debate going on in Chicago. The long and short of it: Mayor Emanuel wants to extend the school day and put Chicago on par with the rest of the country. The Chicago Teachers Union is pushing back on the Mayor's request. Why? An extended school day by 90 minutes doesn't necessarily equal an increase in pay for those teachers. So I thought I'd propose an idea.With so many charity events happening in Chicago in just one year, alot of money exchanges hands for deserving groups. Ladies will be at Nordstrom, Nieman's and Macy's snatching up gorgeous gowns to get snapped for one our lovely society magazines and newspapers. Heck, there will soon be a $35,000 per plate fundraising dinner to help President Obama's 2012 election campaign. Should any of these events stop? Of course not. But it makes me wonder. If there are enough people willing to spend $35k for a fundraiser, imagine if 100 people paid $10K to go to an event that helped fund the salaries of teachers that WANT to work the extra 90 minutes. Then again, are the people who can afford the $10K sending their kids to public school? A snazzy event with tuxedos and cocktail dresses, your picture snapped for the society magazine and impacting a sea of kids across the city of Chicago? Seems like a no brainer to me.Then again, what do I know. I was just that kid who liked talking about Nikola Tesla all the time and secured an academic scholarship to a fantastic state school.
