How many years since the last teachers’ strike in Dist. 207? Guess why…and if you need help in coming up with a reason, dig up your old property tax bills and look at the increases in Dist. 207′s portion over the years.

The same goes for Dist. 64, where the teachers were on strike for a week in 2003 before getting guaranteed annual raises that (to the best of our recollection) outpaced inflation. And the last teacher strike before that was way back in 1979.

Just last year the Dist. 64 Board gave their teachers a 3-year contract for what amounts to a 4.5%/year raise (counting “step” increases) despite the cost of living remaining flat – a fact which, incredibly, the Board and Administration now complain about because it combines with the tax caps to limit increases in their property tax revenues!

Duh.

The bottom line is that teaching in a suburb like Park Ridge is a really sweet deal, despite all the whining by the teachers and their cheerleader/apologists: You have to show up for work about 8 months/year; you’re off almost every day your kids are, including summers; it’s almost impossible to be fired; your employer will never close down or relocate to Mexico or Thailand; and you can qualify for a great fixed-benefit pension (and health care) by the time you’re 55.

Next question, FIQ?