Devastation in Moore, OK

The images are horrific but even more tragic are the number of fatalities caused by the tornado that ripped through Moore, OK yesterday afternoon.   As of early this morning fifty-one people had lost their lives, twenty of them children.

Sadly, the storm hit heavy residential areas including schools.  In all, five schools were damaged as a result of the twister.  Two schools, Briarwood and Plaza Towers, were hit very hard with Plaza being leveled.  The news regarding the school children at Plaza Towers Elementary is heart wrenching.  At this point in the day, some seven students lost their lives.

Our charity will do our best to help the Moore school children.  We are setting up a special fund for the purpose of aiding the students going forward.  To make a donation to this cause you can contribute by making a check payable to Schools Count Corp and writing in the word 'Moore' in the memo section of your check.  Kindly forward your check to Dick Flesher, 20048 S. Kohlwood Dr., Mokena, IL. 60448.

Many thanks,
Dick

Stuck in Place - Part II

It is indeed an appropriate title for what many disadvantaged families face - being stuck in one place that is anything but a desireable place in which to live, raise ones family and send them off to school.  Until recently I had no real clue as to how these areas came into existence. 

Sadly, since WW II formal laws, regulations and various zoning prohibitions, conducted at multiple levels of government had much to do with creating residential areas in which social and economic problems grew.

Urban renewal, for one, was a real misnomer.  Though areas of blight were wiped out in favor of factories or other development, the displaced residents were often relocated to even less desireable locations in various inner cities.  Urban renewal sounds like housing conditions were improved but, in fact, urban renewal simply added to the woes of the families in these 'renewal' areas.

Others forms of creating depressed areas within sections of the inner city included 'Neighborhood Improvement Assns.',  'Neighborhood Stability Loans', 'redlining' and restrictive covenants.  These were but a few of the gambits used to create miserable neighborhoods.  All had the impact of creating and re-inforcing housing segregation.

I mention these facts because many of the children we work with are the product of this depressed housing and community conditions that have helped to spawn crime, homeless and unemployment.  A sad thing, to be stuck in such a place.

Dick

Let's See...

• And just why isn't CPS likely to listen to judge recommendations, solicited by the brass at CPS headquarters, not to close certain schools?
• What will become of the 54 empty schools?
• Where will residents in those school closing areas turn for various social services once the schools close?
• Have plans been put into place to retain staff who are rated 'excellent?'
• Will CPS track the progress, or lack thereof, of students who are displaced by the closings?
• Will an 'impartial' observer comment/recorde how the combined school populations co-exist?
• Should some of these closings not work out, as planned, will CPS recant?
• If the above clsoings aren't effective or fail to live up to their billing will Mayor Emanuel hold anyone accountable?

These aren't unimportant concerns and issues.  It's one thing to make the alterations, it's quite another to make them work and then to dispassionately assess what is really taking place once the plans have been in place for a year or two.

Let's see!!
Dick

The Battle is On

Yesterday, the Chicago Teacher's Union filed two lawsuits regarding the upcoming school closings.  One suit alleges that Special Education students, 5,200 of them, are at risk because of the closings.  The other lawsuit says that the African American students are being targeted.

A statement released by CPS countered that "too many children today are trapped in underutilized, under-resourced schools cheating them of the investments they need to succeed in the classroom."  Yes there are underutilized and under-resourced schools?  Has anyone bothered to ask why or how we got to this point.  If CPS is really in charge, why did they allow schools to become under-resourced?

As the May 22nd date approaches, where the CPS brass will announce its closings, it is evident that the two sides are doing anything but cooperating with one another.  I don't expect things to get any better in the days following the CPS edict or when classes resume in August.

I can tell you this...some schools will now become overcrowded as a result of the impending closures and many will still be under-resourced.

Stay tuned!
Dick 

Take Action

I know a good number of you who read the blog have children in grade school, middle school/junior high and/or high school.  They can help us collect supplies for children-in-need in Chicago and Harvey even if their school doesn't do it on a school wide basis.  It's pretty easy!!

Simply have your son/daughter approach their individual teachers and ask them if they can collect binders and spirals on the last day (or other day) of class.  The students who have binders, spirals and the like can clean them out in the class and your children collects them for each class.    The point about classmates tearing out pages that are damaged and written on is a key element to making the collection a smooth process.

This method could result in quite a haul especially if your/son daughter can convince their friends to do the same!!  Think of how many items could be collected in this simple manner.

Yes, your son/daughter may well (likely) have too many items to bring home.  All you have to do is to let me know and I will come to their school, at a mutually agreeable time and date, to pick up the supplies.

Please give it some thought and ask your kids to pitch in and help others!!

Thanks,
Dick

Stuck in Place

'Stuck in Place' is a book I am reading which investigates the real causes in the lack of progress among African Americans (and other minorities) in portions of urban neighborhoods.  Our charity obviously works in many parts of Chicago and other metropolitan areas in other American cities and I wanted to better understand the ongoing poverty and neglect. 

Patrick Sharkey, the author, hasn't just studied social problems such as violence, joblessness, blight, low property values, and poverty but he takes a look at the effects the entire neighborhood or community has on a person/group of people over a long period of time.  His point is that what any one individual suffers is not merely the product of his/her situation nor purely under their control.  The community and multi-generational condition of the neighborhood has devastating consequences for any one person.

One of the striking conclusions, according to Sharkey's work is "that social problems that characterize poor, segregated urban neighborhoods have not arisen because of any character deficiencies of low-income African Americans or other ethnic minorities.  These , problems have emerged due to a combination of economic and political disinvestment in urban neighborhoods."

When there is a lack of investment in any neighborhood, it stands to reason that the neighborhood with its schools, businesses and home properties will suffer the consequences.

I look forward to sharing more of Sharkey's work with you in the coming days.

Dick

Being of Service

Whether one is without a job and desire to work or a person is without medical care or a youngster grows up in an area facing few real opportunities, the result is often the same.  People going without life's necessities.  Then, too often, the blame game is played as if that is really what is at stake.

Anyone without life care, a job, a decent education, proper nutrition, decent housing or living in an area that isn't safe is in real peril.  No human should have to live that way.  Sadly, anyone in this situation is likely to be in this shape, regardless of who is at fault, because of neglect.  There's usually plenty of folks who are culpable for this situation.

People are usually the ones responsible for a person suffering from the effects of neglect.  I happen to believe that if we, as a society, have allowed this condition to persist, we can also do much to put a stop to it.  When it comes to education, Schools Count Corp. will do our best to help afford young people a chance to advance by assisting them in the classroom.

Thanks for your help and for not neglecting children-in-need.

Dick