Rahm Says Chicago School Days Will Get Longer

Abdon Pallasch & Rosalind Ross:

Students in Chicago's public schools will spend an extra hour or hour and a half in school each day once new legislation makes it out of Springfield, Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel said Friday.

Emanuel said the issue of how much more teachers will get paid is open to negotiation -- but not the question of whether the school day will be longer. It will be, Emanuel said.

"We're not going to negotiate or discuss whether children get more instruction -- we will work together so that gets done. I'm not deviating from that. I was clear about it," Emanuel said after speaking at a South Side charter school.

More than any other mayoral candidate, Emanuel said he strongly backed curtailing teachers' right to strike and a longer school day.

Chicago students are "cheated" by not getting as much school time as Houston's students, Emanuel said.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at April 18, 2011 1:11 AM
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