An Open Letter To Those In Charge Of The CPS Strike

nothing to do nothing to do bored bored bored.

Dear Rahm Emanual and CPS Teachers,

First I want to begin by letting you know I deeply respect both parties involved.  I also want you to know that I do agree that some parts of the contracts are flawed and should be hammered out.  I also have been enjoying this random extra time with my baby.  So far on this mini vacation we have completely remodelled, wallpapered and painted her room, signed her up and went to her first hip hop dance class, and today I even had a helper with sweeping and mopping my floors (which she LOVED to be a part of.)

 However, I feel I must tell you that this strike is complete and total horse shit and it is time for her to go back to school. 

Now before anybody gets all up in arms about this let me explain a little deeper why I feel this way.  When Rhiannon was in kindergarten I had a few issues with the school she was enrolled in, (with the school just generally sucking.)  Although I knew it wasn't that big of a deal at the time, I also knew that in the very near future I would have to either deal with their ignorance or move on to bigger and better places.  I chose the latter.  As with most parents, every decision I make is made to be in Rhiannon’s best interest.  I knew that I would not send her to the schools I was in nor did any of the other schools around that area impress me at all. 


(True story:  While registering for my high school classes my guidance counselor took one look at my math scores and told me that "Math isn't that important in life anyway.  She then told me of this system that lets people like me take two semesters of Algebra 1/2 and two semesters of Business math in order to get all of my credits for graduation.  Talk about not slipping through the cracks, but being shoved out of the way.)   

However, while doing my research I found many schools in the Chicago region to be exceptional.  I wanted to go to school here myself anyway, so I packed my bags and came to what Rhiannon and I called the "city of dreams".

This move didn't come free.  I payed a steep price to give her the phenomenal education she has received as to date.  In order to move here I had to legally give up every single holiday and summer vacation to her dad.  From the time she was six years old I have never shared a Christmas, Christmas Eve, Thanksgiving, Easter or even Birthday with Rhiannon.  To put it a little more in perspective THIS is what Rhiannon looked like last time I had her for Christmas....

Yes, I know, Awwwww.  

And here's the thing, I don't mind giving up all these things if it means Rhiannon is getting a great education and an opportunity to be so much more then I could.  I want her to learn as much as possible and be able to do whatever her little heart desires!  So you see, having her only get to experience four days of 7th grade this year is making my sacrifices feel like they are all for not!  I 100% agree with Rahm when he says this strike was avoidable.  I understand that striking after school starts feels like you have more of an upper-hand in this situation but the reality of it is this.  400,000 kids are the ones who are suffering.  You knew that your contracts were coming to an end.  You should have been working on new ones all summer instead of waiting till now.

Like I said at the beginning, I respect all parties involved.  I appreciate all the men and women who are teaching my daughter and helping me mold her into the wonderful young lady she is becoming.  But god damn.  It is time for this strike to end and for these children to go back to school.  I can't speak for anyone else's kids but mine is starting to bounce off the walls with boredom.  

Sincerly,

Everyone who lives in the Crystalstew household