Anger at CPS Board Meeting

This morning's Chicago Sun Times carried an article entitled 'School Scuffle' which, in part, is what took place at the Wednesday CPS School Board Meeting. Not only did people show up at the board meeting to vent their frustration but, nearly 300 protesters were outside board headquarters on Tuesday night.

People are upset with school closings, the implementation of turnarounds (firing an entire building staff and replacing them with new personnel), the creation of twelve new charter schools and other issues.

Such was the chaos that the board meeting was moved to a closed session as protesters did not allow the open meeting to proceed.

Adourthus McDowell, a Public School parent and member of the Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization had this to say; "Children have died, literally and spiritually, as a result of your policies."

The policies Mr. McDowell was referring to deals with school shakeups that forced children to walk longer distances, often through dangerous areas. The protesters also lamented school closings and replacing neighborhood schools with selective-enrollment or charter schools which have destabilized a good number of the poor minority areas.

Of course, no mention was made of the root causes of the so called failing schools nor did anyone bother to come up with solutions to the poverty, crime and unemployment that hamper the ability of children to succeed in school.

One can agree or disagree with the actions of the protesters, however, everyone should realize that the concerns of the protesters are real.

The fight goes on...

Dick