More Turnarounds in Chicago

The trend continues as three more neighborhood schools, longing for stability, are now faced with being turnarounds this coming fall. That's right, the building teachers, principal, assistant principal(s), janitors and lunchroom workers will get their pink slips this spring. Oh, CPS will proclaim that the janitors and lunchroom staff can reapply. Talk about a slap in the face! Sure, I'd go back if I was fired. Um, NO!

Of course the major reason that three schools are being turned around is because they were on academic probation for a "significant period of time." By the way, some of the current 22 'turnaround' AUSL schools are on academic probation. That wasn't part of the Wednesday public presentation. Talk about hypocricy!

It may take some time, but I hope the public soon demands that our public neighborhood schools are often the anchor of the various neighborhoods in which they are located. More than 'fixing' schools, the conditions in which the families and students live in must first be 'fixed.'

As Gresham's Principal, Diedrus Brown, said at the CPS meeting, "Give some of that [money] to the neighborhood schools. It's Chicago Public Schools, not Chicago private schools." Well said!

Dick