Submitted by Elvira Pellitteri (not verified) on Mon, 2012-02-20 19:55
Neighborhood/City:
Hyde Park / University Of Chicago (Chicago)
I do not understand why schools have to be closed in order to provide a better education for the children. If the same resources that are poured into the new schools were given to the "failing" schools, wouldn't they make the same gains? It seems counter-intuitive to punish these schools by depriving them of needed resources. What is actually the silver bullet that allows some of the new schools to succeed? Could it be that the best students are sent to schools that are targeted to succeed, and those at the bottom sent to schools that will once again be labeled as failing? If CPS gave needed resources to all schools then every child would have the opportunity to succeed.
Submitted by Bethenia D Price (not verified) on Mon, 2012-02-20 20:12
Neighborhood/City:
Roseland / CSU / Washington Heights (Chicago)
I truly question CPS' motives and intentions to educate underprivileged students when those who are most removed from students make the decisions and set policies that most affect those students. It seems, to me, that educators and parents who are most familiar with a school's population would best be able to identify and address a school's needs. Were CPS to engage and then support the school's community, they might be astonished by the positive outcomes. CPS needs to put its political agenda aside and get on with educating children. It really isn't rocket science!!
Submitted by Maria Guerrero (not verified) on Tue, 2012-02-21 13:17
Neighborhood/City:
Logan Square (Chicago)
CPS has NOT acted fairly with inner city schools. They remove programs and teacher positions, leave them struggling with less and less each year, then blame them for "failing". IT IS CPS THAT HAS FAILED ! For 15 years, they have been doing turnarounds and closures, with very little to show for it and great taxpayer expense. IF something hasn't worked for 15 years, WHY continue to do it? The status quo that CPS likes to quote so much is THEIRS - they are the ones stuck in a rut of failure and disruptive practices ! The Board should vote NO this year!
Submitted by Nick (not verified) on Tue, 2012-02-21 15:47
Neighborhood/City:
Jefferson Park (Chicago)
I've heard that Crane High School is to be Phased out and any would-be incoming freshmen from the neighborhood will have to attend Wells High School next year. Does this make any sense? Now these students have to travel an extra 2 miles to get to school. Also, I know Wells has its own problems with gangs and is on probation. How will the students from Crane get along with those from Wells? Which students get to stay at Crane and go to Talent Charter School? I'm guessing they'll keep the top students at the charter and send the rest to Wells so that they can set up Wells for failure and close it next year. This is BS!
Submitted by Nick (not verified) on Tue, 2012-02-21 15:54
Neighborhood/City:
Jefferson Park (Chicago)
As I posted, I just remembered that Rahm is also closing the 13th district police station which is down the block from Wells High School. Great timing! I used to live over there and used to see police cars outside the school every day. Now the response time will increase just as Crane/Wells students will have to learn to get along. Good luck if you're a teacher at Wells or live in the neighborhood.
Submitted by richard o (not verified) on Wed, 2012-02-22 01:14
Neighborhood/City:
Lakeview (Chicago)
Instead of considering closures and turnarounds the board should consider voting the schools the resources that would turn it around without removing staff or closing the school. The board is always ready to blame the school personnel for any problems when many of the problems stem from not providing the schools and teachers the resources they need to fix the problems.
It doesn't further education to tell kids that they are going to be split from long term friends, have to travel longer distances to and from school and have to go to a new school filled with strangers (and depending on things like gangs perhaps very unfriendly or even dangerous strangers).
Closing schools or doing turnarounds is simply an admission of being unable to maintain decent schools, but the failure is not with the schools but with the board.
Video Archive
school turnarounds
I do not understand why schools have to be closed in order to provide a better education for the children. If the same resources that are poured into the new schools were given to the "failing" schools, wouldn't they make the same gains? It seems counter-intuitive to punish these schools by depriving them of needed resources. What is actually the silver bullet that allows some of the new schools to succeed? Could it be that the best students are sent to schools that are targeted to succeed, and those at the bottom sent to schools that will once again be labeled as failing? If CPS gave needed resources to all schools then every child would have the opportunity to succeed.
School Turnarounds
I truly question CPS' motives and intentions to educate underprivileged students when those who are most removed from students make the decisions and set policies that most affect those students. It seems, to me, that educators and parents who are most familiar with a school's population would best be able to identify and address a school's needs. Were CPS to engage and then support the school's community, they might be astonished by the positive outcomes. CPS needs to put its political agenda aside and get on with educating children. It really isn't rocket science!!
Turnarounds
CPS has NOT acted fairly with inner city schools. They remove programs and teacher positions, leave them struggling with less and less each year, then blame them for "failing". IT IS CPS THAT HAS FAILED ! For 15 years, they have been doing turnarounds and closures, with very little to show for it and great taxpayer expense. IF something hasn't worked for 15 years, WHY continue to do it? The status quo that CPS likes to quote so much is THEIRS - they are the ones stuck in a rut of failure and disruptive practices ! The Board should vote NO this year!
Crane
I've heard that Crane High School is to be Phased out and any would-be incoming freshmen from the neighborhood will have to attend Wells High School next year. Does this make any sense? Now these students have to travel an extra 2 miles to get to school. Also, I know Wells has its own problems with gangs and is on probation. How will the students from Crane get along with those from Wells? Which students get to stay at Crane and go to Talent Charter School? I'm guessing they'll keep the top students at the charter and send the rest to Wells so that they can set up Wells for failure and close it next year. This is BS!
Crane
As I posted, I just remembered that Rahm is also closing the 13th district police station which is down the block from Wells High School. Great timing! I used to live over there and used to see police cars outside the school every day. Now the response time will increase just as Crane/Wells students will have to learn to get along. Good luck if you're a teacher at Wells or live in the neighborhood.
Vote no
Instead of considering closures and turnarounds the board should consider voting the schools the resources that would turn it around without removing staff or closing the school. The board is always ready to blame the school personnel for any problems when many of the problems stem from not providing the schools and teachers the resources they need to fix the problems.
It doesn't further education to tell kids that they are going to be split from long term friends, have to travel longer distances to and from school and have to go to a new school filled with strangers (and depending on things like gangs perhaps very unfriendly or even dangerous strangers).
Closing schools or doing turnarounds is simply an admission of being unable to maintain decent schools, but the failure is not with the schools but with the board.
Add new comment