Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter



CAT Tracks for March 23, 2001
UPDATE AND REMINDERS

SCHOOL BOARD MEETING:

The Cairo Board of Education met behind closed doors for four-and-a-half hours on Wednesday night/Thursday morning. When the Board emerged, it voted to notify respective unions of the need to bargain a possible reduction in force. Negotiations between the CAT and the Board have been scheduled for Wednesday, March 28th. Again...stay tuned!

COREY H CASE:

Wednesday, March 28th, is also the night of the public hearing at Rend Lake College concerning the Corey H Case. If you are concerned about the impact of this decision on special education certification AND the impact of inclusion upon the regular classroom, consider attending. Even if you do not speak, your presence sends a message to the officials in attendance. Details of the meeting and directions were included on the brochure attached to last week's CAT Tracks.

EDUCATIONAL SUMMIT WORKSHOP:

Earlier this month, I told you about an Educational Summit Workshop that was held at Cairo High School. Dr. Charles Koen contacted me this past weekend and extended an invitation for all teachers to attend the next workshop which is scheduled for tomorrow...Saturday, March 24th. (See the attached agenda.)

Dr. Koen has been a controversial figure, dating back to his early efforts to end racial discrimination in Cairo. As such, many people have very strong feelings about him...both for and against. So be it. However, Dr. Koen has extensive,influential contacts throughout Illinois, the United States and the world. Dr. Koen states that he is interested in bringing State and national resources--human and monetary--to Cairo School District Number One in an effort to make it a model school district. Will he succeed? Will Modern Red School House succeed? Only time will tell. But, as the saying goes...nothing ventured, nothing gained.