CPS Commission Report on Closings

By the end of this month, just a bit over three weeks from now, CPS will announce its school closing list.  Big numbers have been thrown around.  CEO Byrd-Bennett has said that 129 are being considered for closure.  Yesterday the Commission on School Utilization said that 80 could be closed  since there are enough available seats in other schools to accommodate the students.

Does that mean they will be packed in like sardines?   Will these schools, which take in the added students, have much larger class sizes?  What will become of the closed schools?  What is to be the fate of the community?  Finally, most importantly, how will the children handle this?

There are some points raised by the commission that should be heeded.  As Frank Clark, head of the commission noted, " There's no reason to close schools unless they're going to put kids into a better educational environment."  Time will tell if the powers that be heed such advice.

The commission went on the explain that how full a school is shouldn't be the sole factor in any closing decision because it "ignores the reality of what actually happens in individual schools."  Another point that better be considered by the people who are deliberating over what schools to close.

My bet is that the list of school closings will be lengthy.   As one mother explained the closings will "not be fair."  I'd add this...it's not just.   Our society is suppose to be built on justice (With liberty and justice for all).