 |
| Photo by Jagz Mario. |
By Kari Lydersen
The Chicago Board of Education’s vote on Wednesday to convert three public elementary schools into “turnaround schools” run by the non-profit Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL) was no surprise to most parents and teachers.
The board has consistently voted to close schools or turn them over to private management—laying off most of the staff in the process—despite overwhelming opposition, anxiety and outrage expressed in heartfelt testimony by parents, teachers, students and elected officials at scores of public meetings.
While the concept of turnaround schools was first instituted under former Mayor Richard M. Daley, critics see the use of turnarounds as a signature of Mayor Rahm Emanuel and his aggressive privatization agenda. Parents and experts framed the recent vote as part of a larger trend wherein Emanuel, who appoints the school board, has disregarded public opinion to push through his privatization plans...
As is often the case with schools that are closed, privatized or subject to sweeping reforms, all three schools are in poor neighborhoods—Dvorak and McNair on Chicago’s West Side and Gresham on the South Side...Gresham principal Dr. Diedrus Brown—herself a graduate of Chicago Public Schools—noted at the board meeting that Gresham’s test scores have fluctuated according to how much funding the school has received. Gresham’s budget was cut in 2013, and the school was forced to lay off three teachers and three staffers.
“I saw what happened at the school when we were given extra money,” Brown said. “Then you destabilized our school for the past two years by taking money away. … I lost programs, I lost positions. … What AUSL gets in terms of finances—give some of that back to the neighborhood schools. It’s Chicago Public Schools, not Chicago Private Schools.”
Read More
No comments:
Post a Comment