school closings. Photo/Fran Huckaby
On November 6, 87% voters in the affected precincts found their way to the end of the ballot and voted yes for an elected school board—this despite some irregularities in which precinct ballots did not include the measure at all.
CHICAGO—“Put The Public back into public education,” stated Sarah Simmons, a Chicago Public School (CPS) parent and co-founding member of Parents4Teachers, when interviewed after a Town Hall meeting. Organized by CODE (Communities Organized for Democracy in Education) and moderated by Logan Square community organizer Will Guzzardi, an expert panel advocated replacing the mayor-appointed school board with an elected, representative board. Enthusiastic supporters reveled in the recent community support—demonstrated during the Chicago teachers’ strike. Still, the panel and supporters acknowledged the steep challenge ahead to slow if not set back the corporate-school reform agenda.
Karen Lewis, President of the Chicago Teachers Union, started the panel presentation by pointing out that this non-elected school board is composed of members—several of whom are CEOs, bankers, and real estate developers—who do not have children in CPS. Subsequently, she claimed, they are willing to close schools without even “stepping foot into them.” The unelected school board will announce in March which schools it plans to close—perhaps more than 100.
Parent-teacher alliances have produced tangible results. An advisory referendum was placed on the November 6 ballot in 327 precincts calling for rescinding the 1995 amendment to the Chicago School Reform Act, 1988. That law gives the mayor “unfettered authority” to appoint the School Board.
Acknowledging that an elected school board will not fix all CPS problems, University of Illinois-Chicago professor, Pauline Lipman, argued that getting past square one is impossible with a mayor appointed school board. The panel discussion stressed that getting a bill before the state legislature would be the next step. CTU president Lewis made clear that the political work for public schools is a never-ending quest for justice and stressed that these legislative efforts for an elected and representative school board are just one piece.
The panel’s clear message: Dalia Bonia, the parent and elected Local School Council member emphasized the importance of community involvement in the schools. “We need to elect the people that will govern the education of our children.” Ms. Bonia showed a banner of signatures surrounding the statement, “Ames belongs to the community.” Ben Joravsky of the Chicago Reader outlined how under mayoral control TIF (tax increment financing) shortchanged the students, making it clear that schools are used for political and economic gain.
This article is part of the effort to inform teachers, parents and community members in preparation for the next stage of the battle. In Chicago “square one” for bringing public accountability into public education starts with the elected school board.
