WBEZ: Vote Leaves Black Students Far More Likely To Have Police In School Than Other Teens

For a second we're going back to the latest in having Chicago Police in CPS schools. In the news a good number of schools have voted to have police taken out of the schools. However this WBEZ report is interesting:

After weeks of voting by elected school councils on whether to keep police in schools, only about 24% of 72 Chicago public schools with officers will be removed, leaving the vast majority of school police officers in place after a summer of intense protests advocating for their removal.

The Board of Education considered ending the school resource officer program in June, but the measure was narrowly defeated. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, the schools chief and some board members said the decision should be left up to local councils, made up of parents, teachers and community members.
...
The result: The percentage of white and Latino students at schools with police officers will drop significantly in the coming school year. Now, about 48% of white students and 54% of Latino students at traditional city high schools will go to schools with police.

Meanwhile, about 73% of Black students will continue to be at schools with police. (The school district’s SRO program does not include charter schools.) Last school year, about 85% of students — regardless of race — went to a school with police officers.

After what happened at the end of May it's suspicious that this issues is getting attention. It's correct that schools should decide whether or not they should have police officers posted. It also should be up to school what other personnel needs to be at the schools for the students. 

Mechanics: I Ran for Local School Council and Maybe I Even Won!

The author of this article - Phil Huckleberry - discusses his experience as a candidate for his neighborhood school's LSC. He apparently won the election, but discovered at a recent meeting that the results have been challenged. That school's LSC won't meeting until next year after new elections, and the school's LSC functions would be governed instead by CPS' central office. Something pertinent Mr. Huckleberry said in his piece:

Now, this story isn't about me and my awe-inspiring 21 votes. It's not about whether or not there was some sort of problem with the election.

This is a story about bureaucracy.

I can rail against charter schools or say negative things about the mayor just like a lot of people who write words that get put on the Internet. I can talk about how great Karen Lewis is just like the next cherished Chicago journalist.

But here is the crux of the situation: Bureaucracies put bureaucracy first. And the reality is that Chicago Public Schools is a horrifically clunky bureaucracy, steeped in nonsensical inefficiencies, ultimately overseen by an unelected board who are themselves nothing more than hand-picked highly privileged bureaucrats. The system is failing its students because the system is more important than the students.

There are a lot of smart and dedicated administrators within CPS. But things are never truly going to turn around so long as everything is about CPS and not about the actual students.

I suggest you read the whole thing, and of course we hope to hear your thoughts on this.

LSC elections & thoughts on the state of education

Monday and Tuesday are days for LSC Elections. Monday was LSC election for elementary schools and Tuesday are such days for the high schools.

It was my intention to post the above flyer over the weekend unfortunately it seems I kept running into a snag with regards to posting it online whether through Blogger or the FB page. Anyway if you're living at least in the Roseland Heights or West Chesterfield area you may have found this in your screendoors or mailboxes. Sharon Banks-Pincham represents the community on the LSCs for both Gillespie Elementary and Harlan Community Academy.

Hopefully you were able to be informed of the LSC elections on Monday and were able to vote. Hopefully you're able to vote on Tuesday for LSC members at your local high schools.

Speaking of education, on Monday Rich Miller of the Capitol Fax ranted about the state of education in Illinois. Many of us are concerned about the state of education in Chicago especially for the K-12 set. So he starts out with a piece comparing charter schools with the neighborhood public schools and states:

Another principal change...

I haven't attended any LSC meetings at all the past year. Not entirely certain why although I could blame the fact that I never knew the schedule as I'm certain that the schedule could change year-to-year. Another reason why is often because of work.

All the same I ran into an LSC member the other day and learned that Bennett-Shedd will go through another principal selection process. Ms. Teresa K. Anderson served only a year as principal having replaced longtime teacher/counselor Roberta Fields who herself succeeded Ms. Barbara Ellis the long-time Bennett-Shedd principal who passed away in January 2011.

I heard that Ms. Anderson wasn't getting along at Bennett-Shedd at all with teachers or parents. Although I made sure to note that there are some elementary school principals here in Chicago who are leaving the CPS system due to the turmoil after school closings and what not. In this case it was personal.

I did tell this person that I plan to come around more in the future. Hopefully the next person they select to be principal will prove to be a good fit!

LSC meeting on my birthday...

This month's LSC meeting was held at Bennett School's auditorium. Hence the picture of this mural near the doors of the auditorium. This mural is one of several. One day I need to ask permission to photograph them. They should be treated as treasures.

Anyway, the issue of an extended school day came up. I believe it was mentioned in the media where the transition to an extended school day would occur in 2012-2013, the next school year. Concerned revolves around safety as students may be forced to travel to and from school during times when it's dark. Students would be expected to spend 7.5 hours at school under an extended school day.

Since it's going to happen next year, individual schools are expected to come up with a plan for how to conduct their extended school day. Of course CPS HQ can either adjust, advice, or reject the plans by the schools.

Also three parents stepped forward to express interest in an opening for LSC parent representative. One of them was a male and currently two males serve on the LSC. They all gave statements to those in attendance and then the LSC went into a closed session to consider the candidates.

I wish that they had their meetings in the auditorium but booo to no refreshments being served. They need to work on that. ;)

Meeting schedule for the Bennett Shedd LSC

Just got a copy at the latest meeting but if anything should change refer to the about page and get in touch with the school. For Bennett School the phone no. is (773) 535.5460.

As per the most recent LSC meeting on Oct. 12, there is now a Parent Representative vacancy on the LSC. If you're the parent of a Bennett-Shedd student this is one way to get involved!

Bennett Shedd LSC 2011-12 Schedule

LSC report: Bennett-Shedd is on probation...

I learned this at yesterday's LSC meeting. The new principal - Ms. Roberta Fields - is making it her goal to get the school off of probation. For the most part it's based on the school's ISAT scores and CPS expect 100% improvement by 2014. She did note the school board merely raises the ante on what they expect and 100% improvement does seem quite unreasonable to me.

It was also noted that some of the students who took the test were special need. In earlier LSC meetings it was noted that they test the special needs students at the same level as their peers at their proper grade level. Unfortunately how can you compete with say seventh graders if you're mental capacity is only on say the 2nd grade level. It is hoped that now that the special needs students are exposed to the materials of general education students they may do better on the test the next time around.

Also enrollment has dropped this year. Bennett-Shedd has 482 students for this year while last year they had 560 students. Principal Fields noted that the decline in enrollment was due to charter schools although CPS is experiencing a decline in enrollment citywide. At Shedd School there are only 15 kindergartners.

Also the LSC talked about the issue of a longer school day. The individual members didn't appear to take a stand on this issue one way or another but a reasonable concern is over child safety especially when the students don't get out of school until it's dark. It's not just about the classes but the extra-curriculars and also concern about those whose parents aren't able to pick them up from school.

Also I got a new handbook at the meeting. It's not important to me necessarily since I'm neither a student nor am I a parent of a Bennett-Shedd student. However I would like to share some scans of this handbook in the near future.

Future reference if you ever want to attend a Bennett-Shedd LSC meeting they will be held on the 2nd Wednesday at 4:30 every month. Unless otherwise noted and they will announce future meeting dates at the meetings. May want to give the school itself a call if you want to find out when the next LSC is. Refer to the About page here on this blog

It's graduation season at Bennett-Shedd...

Today Bennett's 8th graders had their commencement. Tommorrow - June 14th - there will be a ceremony for Bennet-Shedd's Kindergartners (KGs). It was announced at the last LSC meeting that they wanted to bring the KGs from Shedd so that they can also use Bennett's auditorium.

When I graduated from Shedd's KG program years ago, there was a ceremony held at the Shedd's auditorium/gymnasium. We used a stage or platform that could be pulled out for specially occasions such as awards ceremonies.

I unfortunately do not have many reminders of this ceremony except more than likely a cap & gown where the tassle was attached to the cap. Probably because young children tend to lose things. I have no certificate from back then and I no longer have my KG class pic. Also I recall finding a program from that day and didn't have the foresight to hold onto one of those.

There are pics that are in an album around the house with pictures of my and my family on the day of the KG ceremony. Around the time of my KG ceremony my bother graduated from Harlan High School. So there are some pictures in that album of him doing commencement at Third Baptist Church near 95th & Ashland.

Either way Shedd's auditorium/gymnasium also became the schools' lunchroom and computer lab before I moved onto Bennett School for 7th & 8th grade. For the purposes of a computer lab the school librarian - Mr. Hackenbrock - would roll the computers on trolleys in order for us to mainly play various computer games. Some of us would play a version of Prince of Persia but also Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, or even Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?

After many years of either allowing students to leave home to eat lunch or most students bringing a lunch to school with them, Shedd brought in the lunch program. Thus the gym also became a lunchroom and when there was gym classes usually on Thursdays classes would be held with folded lunchtables and platforms for assemblies off to the side. Rarely as obstacles but they were there.

Well this year KGs won't have the experience I had close to a quarter of a century ago. Can't believe it's been that long ago, but this post was allowed to go a little too long this evening. :P

Next LSC meeting is March 23

Differs from the LSC meeting schedule a little bit. Looks like a No Child Left Behind meeting will occur after the LSC. Might be interesting and hopefully no confusion. Also their advertising food, or well refreshments. For the Bennett-Shedd LSC meeting there are usually refreshments.

The door to the Bennett School library

Went to the Bennett-Shedd LSC meeting on Wednesday afternoon. Only got this pic when I felt bold enough to snap a shot!

Was going to that Bennett-Shedd LSC meeting but...

Today's scheduled meeting was cancelled and moved back to exactly next week on the 23rd at 3:30 PM. There was another one according to this board at Bennett on the 7th of this month. Saw the agenda before I left the building to clarify that there is another meeting coming up and the one that was supposed to have been on the 16th had been pushed back a week.

Shedd School in mourning a month after death of Principal

This black bunting was over the windows to the gym at Shedd School last week. The night before the message for Mrs. Ellis was still up and the American flag was still at half staff. By the end of the week the bunting had been removed the sign had recorded future events at Shedd & Bennett. It appears the mourning is officially over as Shedd.

If you've been following this blog since early last January, Mrs. Ellis was the principal at Bennett-Shedd until her untimely demise last month.

This week on Wednesday at 3:30 PM at Bennett School will be an LSC meeting. The next one without Mrs. Ellis.

Difficult LSC meeting on January 12th...

I wrote in my notebook twice about people getting emotional :'(, it was a really sad meeting under the circumstances. I was actually looking forward to seeing Mrs. Ellis again, but I had no idea December was going to be it. Some of the staff said that she was actually on vacation and she even came in at some point before she passed on.

There was some business discusses such as new computers and the new copier at Shedd School that was agreed on the previous month. This was the first time I didn't speak at the meeting. It was easier to do being the only one there, but there were more people there. Not sure how many parents but none spoke or identified themselves as such. One man said he was president of the No Child Left Behind program at Bennett.

In public participation the ones who participated was a 5th Grade teacher at Shedd and the President of NCLB who discussed ways to reach out to the community. An issue I am concerned about, but on this occasion I chose to hold my fire at that time. Actually I wanted to tell Mrs. Ellis about this blog, and sadly I waited too long.

Any event the meeting was called to order at 3:55 PM and I left when the LSC went into closed session at 4:42 PM. Here's the acutal agenda.

Bennett Shedd LSC Agenda

The previous post has info on funeral services.

UPDATED: The agenda for the Dec. 8, 2010 Bennett-Shedd LSC meeting

EDIT: Hehehe forgot to post the actual agenda! It is posted below

I mentioned the T-Mobile check on this blog earlier. Thanks to T-Mobile putting a cell-phone tower on the school's property. Oh yeah they did hand out a booklet with regards to CPS' budget. I might blog about that in the near future.

Bennett-Shedd LSC Meeting Agenda

Cell tower at Bennett

The LSC meeting in October and the recent one I attended this month both made mention of checks provided by T-Mobile. The optimist in me wanted to believe this money was out of the goodness of their hearts and to be good corporate citizens.

It turns out that my old school was merely a place to put down a cell phone tower. For their trouble Bennett School gets a few dollars for whatever they may want to use it for. At the December LSC meeting the one that wasn't on a schedule presented to me they tapped this fund for T-Mobile to get Shedd School another copy machine.

So why am I bringing this up. Worlee Glover at his Concerned Citizens of Chatham blog has raised an objection to these cell phone towers. The main question is whether or not this is beneficial to the schools who have these cell phone towers or it's more harmful that we may realize.

Besides there are many who are concerned that constant use of the cell phone may prove more harmful than not. So what about these cell phone transmissions?

Schedule of dates for Bennett-Shedd LSC meetings

The next one is on November 9th, but not that these dates are subject to change.
Bennett-Shedd LSC Dates

Observations before visiting that Bennett-Shedd LSC meeting

Well instead of writing about the meeting I'll just discuss the sights and sounds of that day.

First I was very disappointed to find that as I walk into the school there were metal detectors right at the entrance. It never made sense to me that before you go to school for the day you had to be searched as if you were entering a courthouse. Unfortunately we do know why they have metal detectors at our schools these days. We all too often hear about violent incidents at our schools, especially high schools, where a weapon (such as a gun) was involved.

I saw that the auditorium was open and then beyond the metal detector was a desk where security was posted. Very different from the last time I was there. Unfortunately safety around these schools are important and that means a presence of security cameras and before I left I caught a glimpse of what they see.

I was confused as to where to go for the meeting and at least there was a security guard who saw me and asked if I needed help. He told me where to go for the LSC meeting.

The school does look different but not as different as I saw Harlan last year. The school still looks like it was built in the late 1920s. There were signs for science project winners with very familiar names unfortunately the banners stopped around 1998 or so. There was a trophy case as well with a big softball in it.

Some of the classrooms look no different than the last time I attended a class there although I didn't enter a classroom. But I did get a glimpse of those murals I wish I could share with you in the school's cafeteria. Well there is a room where the students eat, and another room where the food is actually served during the lunch periods.

Oh yeah this school actually has two front entrances. I entered in the main entrance on the north side of the school near 101st. The other entrance is on the south end closer to 102nd Street. When students enter the school there they also have to walk through a metal detector posted outside that entrance.

If there was anything I could do I would get rid of these metal detectors unless they were absolutely needed.

I turned the corner and headed towards the school library where the meeting would take place. The open door was what would greet me to this meeting. A huge Chicago Public Library card would greet my outside the door. And I saw a decade plus amount of change just that quick.

Nine Dell computers, some large shelves of books were gone! There was more room in the library. Well the shelves used be on the floor, but in their place instead was smaller shelves. A table with chair designed for young children.

This library was decorated with a lot of decoration. Lot of stuff you would buy at an education themed store. I noticed on a closet that there were boards for Mayor Daley Book Club, announcements and others than I can't remember. There were on top of a bookshelf AV machines where displayed between displays noting the Bennett-Shedd Junior Beta club. One was dated for 1998.

Well the old school library has made way for the 21st century which was certainly a good thing. :)

I'll write about the actual LSC meeting later on. It started half an hour late and I wasn't out of there until at least 6:30.

Next time I arrive I want to take some pictures of the insides. Got to find a way to swing that!

LSC meeting at Bennett on October 20th

I only know because well I took this picture of this sign at Shedd School. Since as stated many times here Shedd is a branch of Bennett to the south I suppose they combine the LSCs.

I want to go to this meeting but that depends on work and the fact that this is the same week as homecoming at Morehouse. Hmmm I need some more information like what other LSC meeting dates there are. I need some more information.