Huntley-area teachers file intent-to-strike notice

Huntley-area teachers filed notice Tuesday that they could walk off their jobs next week - three days before the start of classes.

[Reckless]

Give the teachers a raise if they will agree to competency reviews. Too many bad teachers that just show up for a paycheck are failing to educate our kids and don't have one ounce of common sense or human deceny. Good teachers deserve more but good teachers are not in the majority

[Reckless 2]

Reckless...agree 100%.

Here's the issue from my perspective. Every one of these folks knew what they were getting into when they decided to get a degree in Education.

2ndly, there is ZERO accountability, as you point out.

To the Teachers: Shutup, do your job, quit whining...or go bag groceries at Aldi.

[Mr Slappy]

Reckless 2 wrote:

Reckless...agree 100%.
Here's the issue from my perspective. Every one of these folks knew what they were getting into when they decided to get a degree in Education.
2ndly, there is ZERO accountability, as you point out.
To the Teachers: Shutup, do your job, quit whining...or go bag groceries at Aldi.

Uhhh... you bag your own groceries at Aldi. They are looking for lot attendents at Home Depot. Never enough flat or lumber carts.

[Dutch Oven]

And what do these ridiculously high property taxes go to in Huntley? 9k per year in property taxes for an average 2500 Square Foot home. We are being scammed. These schools in Huntley are not good to begin with. We are being ripped off!

[Anti-Union]

It is always great to see how "wonderful" all union teachers are to their students. Without a doubt, every school year begins with the greed of the teachers' unions complaining that their salary and benefits are not making them the richest people on their block with the biggest houses and best cars. Meanwhile, the students suffer because their teachers are blinded by money. My wife and I are private school teachers. We make much, much less than any public school teacher, and, yeah, we don't have a big house or a fancy car. And we even have the added gas expenses of working twenty-six miles from home. Plus, Huntley's base salary of 34K for new teachers certainly is better than my wife's pay of only 30K AFTER SEVEN YEARS OF TEACHING WITH A MASTERS DEGREE!!! However, we have accepted that for the last seven years, and we continue to teach because of our love of teaching and our concern for the students. Because of the greed of unions, my wife and I would never even consider moving to public schools. The union members should realize what they have: much more of an income than private school teachers, A THREE MONTH VACATION!!!!, and more job security than most corporations. The state should regulate the amount of money they throw around. Local communities should not be afraid to tell unions "no." Union members should appreciate what "little" they have because, if they lost the precious protection of their unions and the communist-based principles they adhere to, they would have a rude awakening. Get back in the classroom and out of the boardroom!

[George in Winnipeg]

The poor state of the constantly underperforming students and their abysmal test scores is a direct function of the incompetance of the teachers. Yes all of the teachers who continie to demand MORE money and continue to fund the union lobby. Who REFUSE to be accountable for the product they produce. YES, I said product.

Please do not engage in psycho-bable of how one cannot treat ones out put as a commodity. If not a commodity then it's the service. The poor service performed by these "caring" professionals is NOT acceptable.

Untill there is real reform with the rank and file these union members will continue to provide substandard service for ever increasing costs. Plain and simple.

[A Teacher]

Thank you Chicago Tribune for covering this story. Your reporting is fair and straightforward!

[osama obama]

go to the "CHAMPION" website for the REAL salaries of these goverment employees with a pension calculator.

[youonedumbstuden t]

Reckless 2 wrote:

Reckless...agree 100%.
Here's the issue from my perspective. Every one of these folks knew what they were getting into when they decided to get a degree in Education.
2ndly, there is ZERO accountability, as you point out.
To the Teachers: Shutup, do your job, quit whining...or go bag groceries at Aldi.

You shutup!! Teachers deserve a raise.
kids now and days make it harder for teachers to teach. You must lack of education to write such a stupid comment, go back to work at aldis or cleaning toilets at Mcdonlds!! to type Reckless as your name that says it all!! Oh! and go back to school!!

[anon]

The final comment by the VP is laughable. I have a family member who is an EXCELLENT, caring teacher in a Huntley school. The school is 3 years old. The air conditioning has been broken for at least a year. No plans for it to get fixed.

[Dutch Oven]

anon wrote:

The final comment by the VP is laughable. I have a family member who is an EXCELLENT, caring teacher in a Huntley school. The school is 3 years old. The air conditioning has been broken for at least a year. No plans for it to get fixed.

All that property tax money they get......WOW! What a scam.

[easyE]

Whether or not the deserve a raise is not the point. I don't know if people have noticed, we are in a bit of a recession here. A lot of people have raises coming to them they can't get. Right now a lot of us are lucky to have jobs.

[Thomas]

Reckless 2 wrote:

Reckless...agree 100%.
Here's the issue from my perspective. Every one of these folks knew what they were getting into when they decided to get a degree in Education.
2ndly, there is ZERO accountability, as you point out.
To the Teachers: Shutup, do your job, quit whining...or go bag groceries at Aldi.

$35,000 seems low until you consider they have 3 months off durring the summer, christmas break & spring break off, plus sick days and personal days during the school year. Does anyone here get 4 months vacation time from their employer? I bet its alot closer to 2 weeks then 4 months.

[ken]

Thomas wrote:

<quoted text>
$35,000 seems low until you consider they have 3 months off durring the summer, christmas break & spring break off, plus sick days and personal days during the school year. Does anyone here get 4 months vacation time from their employer? I bet its alot closer to 2 weeks then 4 months.

Teachers never inforced anyone to give them 4 months of vacation. Its always been that way long before you were born.

[osama obama]

ken wrote:

<quoted text>
Teachers never inforced anyone to give them 4 months of vacation. Its always been that way long before you were born.

still works out to apprx.31 dollars an hour.go to champion.com and see this teacher is new. the contract is asking for 30% salary increase.

[easyE]

ken wrote:

<quoted text>
Teachers never inforced anyone to give them 4 months of vacation. Its always been that way long before you were born.

Good point???
"Teachers never inforced"? What word do you think you spelled? enforced? Teachers never enforced anyone? I don't think you can enforce a person. You can force a person.

Any who, are you saying if teacher get their raise, but in return are forced to work over the summer, they will be happy?

[TAXPAYER]

The Huntley school board needs to get a pair.

Let them strike and replace every one of the whining little spoiled brats.

Let these anti-American Union members die of their own greed and stupidity.

[huh]

Have any of you ever taught school? 6 1/2 years of teaching kids...
6 1/2 years of parents bitching and moaning. God forbid you try to teach children manners and things like please and thank you!
How many different languages are in the Huntley schools? Come on people this is Huntley. Give the teachers a raise and get this over with. Are we that cheap that we can't do that????
The people in Huntley should be ashamed of themselves for letting this get so out of hand.
Also..since I've taught I want you all to know the word a lot is 2 words!!! Alot is not a word you morons!!!

[easyE]

huh wrote:

Have any of you ever taught school? 6 1/2 years of teaching kids...
6 1/2 years of parents bitching and moaning. God forbid you try to teach children manners and things like please and thank you!
How many different languages are in the Huntley schools? Come on people this is Huntley. Give the teachers a raise and get this over with. Are we that cheap that we can't do that????
The people in Huntley should be ashamed of themselves for letting this get so out of hand.
Also..since I've taught I want you all to know the word a lot is 2 words!!! Alot is not a word you morons!!!

I love the walk a mile mentality. So teaching isn't easy??? Get out of here. Guess what they became teacher, we didn't force them to. My job isn't simple either. Ever deal with clients paying millions of dollars for your company's services, that's pressure. Not to mention, having to leave your wife and kids at home, while you have to fly to business meetings weeks at a time, working all hours of the night to keep your job, including weekends.... but guess what, this was my choice to work here. If I want a higher paying job or if I want a job with less hours, I can get one.

[Apple]

easyE wrote:

<quoted text>
I love the walk a mile mentality. So teaching isn't easy??? Get out of here. Guess what they became teacher, we didn't force them to. My job isn't simple either. Ever deal with clients paying millions of dollars for your company's services, that's pressure. Not to mention, having to leave your wife and kids at home, while you have to fly to business meetings weeks at a time, working all hours of the night to keep your job, including weekends.... but guess what, this was my choice to work here. If I want a higher paying job or if I want a job with less hours, I can get one.

How did you learn how to read and write!! Thank you!! Estupido!! Very ungrateful piece of S*H*I*T!!