16-Year-Old Shooter Charged / Konkol Column / School Chickens

By my count, Chicago Teachers Union members have about 33 million reasons to be upset with the union bosses who led the four work-day boycott of in-person learning last month.

Let's do the math.

On average, city public school teachers make $86,978 a year.

The union's four-day walkout in January cost individual teachers about $1,672.65 in pay.

Collectively, the work action picked about $33 million from the pockets of about 21,500 CTU members who participated in the work action that City Hall called an "illegal strike."

On Tuesday, Members First, a coalition of fed-up rank-and-file CTU members, launched a campaign to oust union boss Jesse Sharkey, vice president Stacy Davis Gates.

"We have seen so much wind at our backs because members are very frustrated by how [the walkout] went down, and the fact that they lost so much pay and got a couple KN95 masks in return," Members First spokesman Josh Brown said.

KONKOL COLUMN: 33 Million Reasons Why Fed-Up Teachers Want To Unseat CTU Bosses

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Warmer Than Yesterday. High: 31 Low: 14.

• For Jennifer Dixon, the principal of John M. Palmer Elementary School in Chicago, steering the ship during the pandemic has involved creative adaptations of old traditions — and the introduction of new ones. Enter the dance parties and the chickens, Cassie Walker Burke reports. (Chalkbeat)
• A 16-year-old boy was charged with murder for allegedly firing shots that killed 8-year-old Melissa Ortega, who was walking with her mom in Little Village. Police also charged 27-year-old Xavier Guzman, who allegedly was driving the car used during the shooting, with murder. (Patch)
• A GoFundMe fundraising effort aims to help the family of slain school teacher Amanda Calo. The 31-year-old goddaughter of Ald. Susan Sadlowski Garza was shot and killed by her estranged husband, a state trooper who then killed himself. As of Wednesday night, about $80,000 had been pledged for the family. (Patch)
• A new inspector general's report provided more details about the investigation into dozens of sexual assault allegations against Chicago Park District employees. The sex scandal forced the resignations of the park district board president and superintendent. The report includes new allegations against a male park district supervisor, who "boasted to other lifeguards that he took a drunk female patron in the lifeguard trailer and sexually assaulted her." (WBEZ)
• Former U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan outlined his ideas to reduce violence in Chicago, and teased a potential mayoral run, Mike Flannery reports. (FOX32)

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Just The Links:

• The Blackhawks are still searching for a new general manager.
• Pygmy hippos have incredibly strong teeth and jaws. Take a look.
• The City Council approved a $14 million settlement linked to police torture.
• Twitter portraits of cardinals in the bitter Chicago cold.
• Clemente High's girls basketball team to play at United Center before the Bulls, next week.

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— Mark