By: Kathy Jacobs

Where's the Respect for Parental Input?

On September 25 the Chicago Tribune ran a story about charter schools and every sentence was a valentine to parents who are proactive in seeking the best(as they see it)education for their children. In the same issue of the Tribune there was a story about the sit-in by parents at Whittier School. These parents want a library for the students. CPS wants the space for a soccer field. How self-indulgent of the Whittier parents to want books for their children! How annoying of them to interfere in the master plan of the Board of Education.

One might ponder why the BOE has dug in its heels so stubbornly about creating a soccer field when the majority of the school’s parents don’t want one. Barring the real possibility that there is no rhyme or reason for the field, but rather represents some bureaucrat’s pet project, one has to ask who stands to profit from a soccer field on school grounds that no one in the school wants. Hmmm? Can we see the original proposal, please?

The Chicago Board of Education should be ashamed of itself. No decision is written in stone. Witness how cleverly due process for tenured teachers is being sidestepped. The BOE knows it can revisit the field house ruling and find a solution satisfactory to the community. And here’s a thought—why don’t they get out of those comfortable, expensive, chairs at 125 S. Clark and go talk to the parents at Whittier.

Like that will happen. If the Whittier parents can hold out until the mayoral candidates start promising Chicago citizens the moon, maybe they’ll prevail and get their library.

By: Real Solutions

Solutions

It is important that people vote on November and February for people who will offer real solutions for the economy and education advancement. Below are several suggestions.

- Vote for a mayor who will fire Huberman and his money hungry friends.

- Vote for someone who could make real positive change in the Education system and not those who promote Charters. One man name Canada is strongly promoting Charters yet he decides to place his own children in the traditional public Schools. Obama promotes Charters yet his children go to special private schools. This is because they know Charters are not better schools they are just cheaper and the long term goal is to figure out a way to make public education cheaper even if these schools are not better.

- There are reasons why Japan Schools are better and which Chicago schools should follow. In Japan they have vigorous teaching programs and only hire the best, brightest, and experienced teachers. In addition, if by chance the teacher those not meet the standards that teacher does not get fired but they get more training and allowed to continue to teach. The Japanese pay least per student, however the teachers get paid more than other countries on the average. Teachers are respected and have life-long security. They don't hire inexperience teachers who are not certified or with short term certification because they only want the best for their children.

-Vote for a mayor who will hire people who know how to balance the budget and to increase jobs for educators and all the working class in Chicago.

-Vote for someone who will help fire all these corrupt politicians and corporate interest groups, including executives of Banks.

-Vote for someone who will listen to the people in general, including parents.

-Vote for honest people who will show responsibility and show all documents

of financial spending in all areas of government and public agencies.

-When evaluating teachers a fair system should be developed. Maybe parents should be allowed to evaluate along with other administration. Maybe even some union members should make observations, however teacher evaluation should not solely be related to test results or the principal's observations. Although there are many wonderful principals, others are very bias.

-Vote for someone who can work objectively with businessmen to create jobs, but not politicians who already have records of being corrupt.

- Vote as and educated voter and investigate the people you are going to vote for.

-Vote for people who accept all races and religions and not for people who will only accept one or two groups.

By: The Retired Principal (RP)

Whittier Soccer Field

CPS wants to build a soccer field on the playground at Whittier Elementary School for Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, per 25th Ward Alderman Daniel S. Solis (UNO supporter) and Congressman Luis V. Gutierrez! Congressman Gutierrez has secured an appropriation for $1,000,000 to build the soccer field for Cristo Rey Jesuit High School on this property! tPS, Take the $356,000 of TIF money set aside to tear down the fieldhouse and fix up the fieldhouse as a library and parent center for the students at Whittier!