The school closings that occurred before the end of the last school year were controversial. The controversy continues as this post by Rich Miller discusses the charter school angle, then the layoffs, the justification for closing schools and sending them to a better performing school.
Certainly there's a lot going on here. I do want to add that many schools are facing financial pressure because now many schools are under a student based budgeting formula. Some of the schools are rejecting their budgets as this will impact the jobs at their schools but also the programs for their students. In some cases their doing so even after agitating enough to get $100,000 worth of TIF funds from the city.
Anyway it's obvious that there's still a fight over the school closings and concerns over student safety as they must transfer to another school. Most of the closed schools are elementary schools and it's sad that there are people who would engage in an assault over who goes to which elementary school.
Sadly, I do believe the actions CPS took this past spring was necessary academically and financially. Noise is going to be made about the various things that must happen as a result. Especially sorting out the finances of these changes and insuring the safety of the students. Hopefully it's all be sorted out with the students in mind because the goal essentially is to ensure that they are educated!
No comments:
Post a Comment