Local WSIU
(2006-06-22)
CHICAGO, IL
(Chicago Public Radio) -
State Senator James Meeks is using his political clout to call for better teachers in Chicago's toughest neighborhood schools. Meeks pushed the issue during a rally today, outside Mayor Richard Daley's city hall office.
Meeks used the threat of a third party candidacy to force Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich to come up with more money for schools.
Now, he's aiming his powers of persuasion at Mayor Daley.
Meeks is upset about a report released earlier this month showing that poor and minority schools have a disproportionate number of unqualified teachers.
Meeks wants merit pay and regular performance testing to ensure that more good teachers end up in needy schools.
But the Chicago Teachers Union has long opposed these ways of dealing with the problem.
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