SCHOOL REFORM BILL SB7 PASSED BY ILLINOIS HOUSE-GOV. QUINN TO SIGN

Illinois has passed a School Reform Bill SB7. It passed in the House by 112 to 1 vote, and the Governor is expected to sign the bill. The basic part of the bill is to eliminate the power of the Union, for tenure, strikes, and the other decisions that the unions are currently making. But not to eliminate the Unions for the Teachers in the State of Illinois, just major overhauling of the current structure; so that the School Boards have more rights in making decisions in the education of the children, with taxpayers money.

Presently the Teacher's unions have a system that says "teachers must be employed 4 years to have tenure." The Bill SB7 will change the tenure required to be employed for 4 years to have tenure. Instead teachers only have to be employed 3 years to have tenure on their jobs.

Another important factor is that all teachers are subject to layoffs, regardless of the years they have been on the job. The School Boards can terminate teachers due to poor productivity in teaching students. If the teacher has a large number of low test scores, they can be terminated. The old tenure method prohibited the School Boards from firing the tenure teachers.

Another important factor in teachers striking is that 75% of all union member must vote to strike. In the past they counted the number of teachers that voted and then determined if they had the proper % to strike. This rule changes a lot of the school districts in Illinois, if the teachers want to strike, they must produce 75% of all of their members in the union, to vote for the strike.

Raises will be given on recommendations of the Principals and not across the board raises, as they are currently awarded to the teachers. Strict rules on leaves of absences, vacations, illness, and other factors that will be determined. Pensions are also to be changed and perhaps have the teachers pay out of pocket some of the money for their pensions.

The City of Chicago protested the most, they have the largest number of union members. The new Mayor will be taking into consideration longer school hours for the schools, to improve the students performances.

The School Reform was sponsored by Barbara Flynn Currie, who was a former teacher. She is 71 years and a powerful voice in the House of Representatives, she is the speaker. Rep. Currie has held her position in the House of Representatives for 32 years in the State of Illinois. Currently her husband is deceased, and she has served in key roles in the State of Illinois. Her goal was not to eliminate the Union and the members rights, but to bring more fairness for the Children being educated and hold the cost down for the education of Children.