Below are links to news stories of interest from newspapers that came up during a search today. These links were active at the time of this e-mail, but should you want to save a story, printing it or cutting and pasting the entire article and saving it to your computer is recommended.
In the News will return Thursday, ‘live’ from the IEA Representative Assembly. 
State News
Elgin schools outline deep cuts Elgin-based School District U-46 “dug deep” Monday, outlining potential cuts of nearly 1,100 jobs — 732 of them teaching positions — and program reductions including middle school football and art and music lessons for kindergartners.
Elgin-based school district outlines hundreds of job cuts Among the teachers who received pink slips is Carolyn Gilbert, the fashion teacher who lost an eye when she was stabbed by a student two years ago at Elgin High School. Her attacker, then-16-year-old Angel Facio, is now in prison for attempted murder. Gilbert said Monday she intends to fight for her job. “I feel the district at least owes me my job here at Elgin,” she said. “I never ruffled any feathers, and I came back to the school where I was stabbed because I like the school and staff and, of course, the students. Quite frankly, I think I am getting the short end of the stick.”
Dist. 203 does about-face on layoffs
Arlington Heights Daily Herald – Superintendent Mark Mitrovich said there would be no staff cuts. Mitrovich on Monday said the terms he used in discussing the matter last week may have caused some confusion. On March 8, the school board approved a new teachers contract that calls for a salary freeze for most teachers in the first year of the three-year pact, followed by increases of 2.84 percent in year two
Taxpayers fleeced by Dist. 203 contract
Arlington Heights Daily Herald – Letter to the Editor – The outright winner in the new Naperville Unit District 203 teachers agreement was the teachers, with the taxpayers taking another tough beating. School board members must deem themselves as economists, projecting an economy improvement by next year and thereafter, because salary increases are back by 2011.
District U-46 board approves layoffs for 1,037 employees
Arlington Heights Daily – the Elgin Area School District U-46 board approved layoffs for 1,037 employees Monday night – the most in decades. That include all first-, second- and third-year teachers, as well as tenured teachers across various departments. Along with employees, the cuts will hit students in the 41,000-student district hard next year.
Elgin-based school district outlines hundreds of job cuts
Chicago Tribune – of the cuts Monday, but put off its decision on food service, custodial, grounds and maintenance workers until next month. Gov. Pat Quinn announced last week that he would cut $1.3 billion from education funding. But as he begins budget negotiations with state legislators that could take months, local school boards must start handing out pink slips
NEW: Collinsville schools cut 29 jobs
St. Clair County Journal – including to pre-kindergarten, reading improvement and building trades programs. Superintendent Dennis Craft said the reductions are necessary because of late state payments, expected cuts in state education funding, and anticipated reductions in property taxes.The only no vote was by board member Wayne White. He said that although he respects the work done by the board’s Finance Committee
Despite protest, District 201 teacher cuts still on table
Brookfield Suburban Life – Morton High School District 201 teachers have received notices that their positions may be cut, as the district struggles to fill a $6.8 million budget gap. Of those 230 teachers, the district has targeted 65 full-time certified
District 186 sets special meeting on teacher cuts The Springfield School Board will hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. next Monday to decide whether to cut an estimated 56 teaching positions. Some teachers had expected a decision about layoffs at Monday night’s meeting, which was attended by dozens of teachers’ union members.
CHATHAM: Pre-K to continue in Ball-Chatham, but cutbacks slated The Ball-Chatham School District will continue its pre-kindergarten program in some form, though state funding will dictate how many students it can accommodate. In the meantime, however, school board members voted Monday to lay off all the pre-kindergarten staff, except for two teachers, for the time being.
ROCHESTER: School employees OK pay freeze to protect programs Rochester school employees have accepted wage freezes that will avert major cuts in programs during the next school year. The Rochester Education Association, which represents teachers, and a support staff union accepted the freezes, School Board President Randy Hawkins said Monday. The Rochester School Board approved the agreements Monday.
Teaching Positions Eliminated at Mt. Vernon High School
Harrisburg WSIL (ABC) 3 – Six teachers will not be returning to Mt. Vernon High School next year after the school board voted Monday night to eliminate positions. Members voted unanimously to eliminate positions from a list of subject areas including French, English and science; for about an hour
West school cuts will reach deep
Beacon News – In addition to the staff cuts, ranging from a bare minimum of 31 to the full 127, the district will seek $6.4 million in concessions from its labor organizations. Aurora West Education Association co-president Terry Collette said the district generated the figure, and he could not say if it was a reasonable amount, pending negotiations. A reduction of 31 employees,
Despite protest, District 201 teacher cuts still on table
Brookfield Suburban Life – Morton High School District 201 teachers have received notices that their positions may be cut, as the district struggles to fill a $6.8 million budget gap.
91 may lose jobs in Oswego schools
Beacon News – The anticipated shortfall of $7.1 million for Oswego’s 2010-11 school year was calculated according to Gov. Pat Quinn’s budget proposal last week that called for a 17 percent cut to education. As for proposed expenditure cuts, the plan includes:
Orland SD 135 to reduce teaching staff
Orland Park Star – Orland School District 135’s teaching staff may be a bit smaller next school year. The school board will likely send letters to three full-time first-year teachers and one part-timer to let them know they will not be needed.
State slow to pay some area agencies
Oswego Ledger Sentinel – The overdue state funds prompted the school district Board of Education to vote last week to approve sweeping budget cuts that include laying off 80 district employees, including 68 teacher assistants for the 2010-11 school year. School Superintendent Dr. Dan O’Donnell told a gathering of local governmental officials at Oswego Village Hall Feb. 16 that the district may have
Batavia Schools: Parents Must Pay For Sports
Chicago WBBH (CBS) 2 – to have their children play on sports teams. As WBBM Newsradio 780 reports, Batavia School District 101 is not alone in looking in every nook and cranny to find ways to save money. The school board is studying how much of the cost of athletics families should be responsible for.
Dist. 203 won’t expel student found with weapons
Arlington Heights Daily Herald – Lincoln Junior High student who brought a knife and a glove with scissor blades sewn into the knuckles to school will not be expelled. Naperville Unit District 203 Superintendent Mark Mitrovich said school board members discussed the boy’s case behind closed doors Monday and decided against expelling him.
Bus driver’s DUI arrest called ‘districtwide failure’ Suspicions that a Mount Prospect school bus driver had been drinking on the job were brought to the attention of her supervisor the day efore the driver was arrested last week, the school board president said he learned Monday.
Bill Would Do Away With CPS Teacher Residency Rule
Chicago WBBH (CBS) – As It Is Now, teachers Must Live Within City Limits
Quinn to discuss importance of community colleges
Jacksonville Journal Courier – Gov. Pat Quinn is scheduled to talk about the importance of community colleges. Quinn will appear at Morton Community College in the western Chicago suburb of Cicero on Tuesday morning. The Democratic governor has been visiting schools and libraries in recent weeks to sell his educational policies. He’s proposed cutting $1.3 billion from education without an income tax
Political News
Quinn won’t talk about options to tax increase
Peoria Journal Star – Gov. Pat Quinn refused to say Monday whether he has a plan to avoid deep cuts in education if lawmakers resist his call to raise the state income tax. Quinn continued to insist he was optimistic that lawmakers
Gov. Quinn won’t discuss Plan B on education cuts, lieutenant guv pick
Crains Chicago Business – Gov. Pat Quinn won’t say if he has a plan to avoid deep education cuts if lawmakers resist his call to raise the state income tax. Quinn insisted Monday he’s optimistic lawmakers will do what he wants so the
Quinn Refuses to Name Lt. Gov. Pick
WGIL AM Radio 14 (Galesburg) – Gov. Pat Quinn isn’t saying who he wants to be his running mate as the state Democratic Party gets ready to pick a lieutenant governor nominee. Quinn on Monday said he’s talked to House Speaker Michael Madigan
State has yet to seriously start cutting
Chicago Sun Times – reduced fares had worked fine until Blagojevich needed a cheap way to ingratiate himself with some voters. Though the House has passed its bill to correct Blagojevich’s irresponsible ways, Gov. Quinn doesn’t think it will pass the Senate. More telling, Quinn wouldn’t say if he would sign the bill if it were to pass the Legislature.
Cross: Funds will be coming for agencies
Oswego Ledger Sentinel – ahead to next school year, Cross said, “no one knows” how much in state aid payments local school districts will receive. He noted that he expected Governor Quinn to propose a significant cut in education funding in a budget address to the General Assembly scheduled for Wednesday in Springfield. Cross said he had heard reports that Quinn’s education funding cut could be as high as $900 million
Brady has bunch of work to do to win, experts say
Chicago Daily Southtown – he is and what does he stand for,” Streb said. “I don’t think people in this area really thoroughly digested his voting record and his position on issues.” That leaves the door open for Gov. Pat Quinn, Brady’s opponent, and other Democrats to try to define Brady, Redfield said. Given Brady’s conservative credentials – he opposes gay marriage and abortion and supports school prayer
Our Opinion: Don’t roll back new FOIA rules
Springfield State Journal – should kill this bill and any other bill that attempts to roll back the progress that was made last year. This legislation follows the General Assembly’s vote earlier this year to exempt teacher evaluations from disclosure. THERE IS a particularly disturbing provision in both bills, which were sponsored by Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia, an Aurora Democrat.
Farnham opposes plan to cut local funds
Elgin Courier News – According to published reports, there is little support among legislators in Springfield for Quinn’s suggested cuts in such funding. Quinn also has proposed either making $1.3 billion in education funding cuts or raising the state’s income tax rate from 3 to 4 percent, a move Farnham says he doesn’t favor, either. Before any tax hike is considered, Farnham said,
Budget could cut 400 state troopers
Quad Cities Dispatch Argus Leader – the Illinois State Police said he cannot guarantee Illinois will be any safer next year. Jonathon Monken told Illinois lawmakers Monday that he’s planning for a “doomsday budget.” Gov. Pat Quinn’s proposed budget, he said, would leave the state police with the fewest number of troopers in at least 20 years. “I have to say this is a doomsday scenario for the Illinois State Police
Kane County may lose $1 million on Quinn proposal
Arlington Heights Daily Herald – Kane County will see a major reduction in state revenue if Gov. Pat Quinn is successful in his call to slash the share of state income taxes distributed to local governments. Quinn’s budget plan scales back the amount of state income tax given to local governments
La Grange area officials brace for state budget cuts
La Grange Doings – La Grange area school and municipal leaders are bracing for the pain of budget cuts proposed by Gov. Pat Quinn, and two groups are taking action. La Grange Village President Liz Asperger Friday wrote a letter urging the governor to oppose reducing municipalities’ share of state income tax receipts
State budget cuts to hit local child health services :: Batavia Sun :: News
Suburban Chicago News — Cuts in state dollars to Kane County could mean a loss “in the millions,” county officials estimated Monday. Last week, Gov. Pat Quinn announced a budget proposal that included a tax increase and budget cuts. Quinn’s budget proposal would slash the income tax revenue local governments receive from 10 percent to 7 percent,
Ill. lawmaker diagnosed with cancer
Jacksonville Journal Courier – SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Veteran Illinois lawmaker Rich Myers has cancer. Myers announced in a news release Monday that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. He says he will undergo testing in the coming weeks to determine the best method of treatment. The 62-year-old Republican from Colchester has been in the Illinois House since 1995. Myers says he will continue his work in the House
National News
Firing teachers: First step to reform or useless effort? Is the wholesale firing of teachers and administrators at an underperforming Rhode Island high school just the kind of get-tough intervention students need? Or is it an unproven, risky disaster waiting to happen? President Obama angered teachers unions last week by coming out in favor of the firings at Central Falls High School.
TIME.com Today’s Top Stories
The Juárez Killings: Are the Narcos Fighting Scared?
The vicious attack on individuals connected to the U.S. consulate in the border city may be a reaction to improved coordination between Mexico City and Washington
What the U.S. and Israel Are Risking in the Settlements Standoff
While a confrontation carries domestic political risks for both sides, their differences over Jerusalem could sabotage peace efforts
Behind the Data: Why Drugs Don’t Help Diabetes Patients’ Hearts
New data suggest that aggressive drug treatments to reduce known heart-disease risk factors don’t actually help diabetes patients. Why? And what now?
Heated Health-Reform Ads Give Taste of Fall Campaign
Across the country, groups on all sides of the health care reform debate have been targeting swing members of Congress with costly ad campaigns
German Priests’ Sex Abuse Scandalizes Church
German Catholics are stunned at the revelations in a decades-old case that occurred under the watch of the Archbishop of Munich — now Pope Benedict XVI
‘No Child’ update would be tough on ‘worst schools’
For most public schools, the perceived heavy hand of the federal government would become a lighter touch under President Obama’s plan to rewrite the No Child Left Behind law. But for some, the consequences of academic failure would stiffen considerably.
(By Nick Anderson, The Washington Post)
Thousands face furloughs; schools may lose millions
Maryland’s two largest counties outlined spending cuts Monday that would reach from children’s health clinics to nursing homes, slice tens of millions of dollars in education spending and furlough thousands of public employees.
(By Michael Laris and Jonathan Mummolo, The Washington Post)
Most Viewed Articles on washingtonpost.com
1) The Fix: The politics of health care passage
Even as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) scrambles for the 216 “yes” votes she needs to pass President Obama’s health care reform bill later this week, strategists on both sides of the partisan divide have begun to debate the political impact of what passage will mean.
2) Pelosi may try to pass health bill without vote
After laying the groundwork for a decisive vote this week on the Senate’s health-care bill, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested Monday that she might attempt to pass the measure without having members vote on it.
3) Thirteen years hunting for a PREDATOR
He lurks at gas stations and pay phones and bus stops, blending in so well that people don’t notice him at first. He has a smooth, deep voice. He is black, he smokes and he is right-handed. He is in his early to mid-30s, is fit, stands about 6 feet tall, likes wearing camouflage clothes and black…
4) Wife of Justice Clarence Thomas starts group for ‘citizen activists’
Into the heightened political atmosphere between the Supreme Court and the Obama administration comes now Virginia Thomas, the conservative activist and wife of Justice Clarence Thomas, who is founder of a new nonprofit lobbying and political-organizing group catering to the “citizen activists” o…
5) For Israeli leaders, snubbing the U.S. may not be a political win
So who wins politically when the United States and Israel feud?
6) U.S. Chamber sets sights on vulnerable Democrats ahead of midterm vote
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, already one of Washington’s largest lobbying groups, is gearing up to play a major role in this year’s midterm elections on a scale to rival the nation’s two main political parties.
7) Deem this
WE UNDERSTAND the administration’s sense of urgency on health-care reform . But what is intended as a final sprint threatens to turn into something unseemly and, more important, contrary to Democrats’ promises of transparency and time for deliberation.
8.) Obama to appear on Fox News Wednesday
By Howard Kurtz Hell has officially frozen over. President Obama is going on Fox News. He must really want to pass that health-care bill. No, he’s not going to get emotional with Glenn Beck. But Obama will sit down with anchor Bret Baier for an interview that will air Wednesday on the 6 p.m….
9) Honda to recall 410,000 vehicles for brake problem
DETROIT — Honda Motor Co. will recall more than 410,000 Odyssey minivans and Element small trucks because of braking system problems that could make it tougher to stop the vehicle if not repaired.
10) Tiger Woods plans Masters return
Tiger Woods, who hasn’t played golf in public since a Thanksgiving-night car accident unleashed a slew of revelations of marital infidelities that led him to take a leave of absence from the game, announced Tuesday he will return at the Masters, the season’s first major championship.
Word of the Day for Tuesday, March 16, 2010
erudite \AIR-yuh-dyt; -uh-dyt\, adjective:
Characterized by extensive reading or knowledge; learned.