Sections:

CPS adds cameras to schools in effort to boost 'security'... Rahm Emanuel commits to ignoring massive problem of city's drug gangs just like his predecessor did

George N. Schmidt - July 24, 2011

While continuing to ignore the massive gang problems in Chicago (evidenced most recently by the increase in police-involved shootings, as reported in the news on July 24, 2011), the Chicago Public Schools has again come up with a way to simultaneously ignore the major problem causing violence in and around the city's public schools and spend millions of dollars on politically connected contracts.

Gang graffiti on a building wall in the Schurz High School area in May 2009 (above) indicates a feud between one branch of the Maniac Latin Disciples (MLD) street gang and the Four Corner Huslters gang. In the graffiti above, the 4CH are breaking the symbol of the MLDs (the heart with the swaztika and angel wings to the right), indicating the intention of the Four Corner Hustlers to kill MLDs. Virtually every student in Chicago's general high schools and middle schools (and many elementary schools) has to know about the local gangs in order to walk the streets and survive, but Chicago's political and economic leaders continue to pretend that the city's massive drug gangs (much greater than anything depicted in the iconic HBO film "The Wire") are not a problem in the schools. Substance photo by George N. SchmidtThe media offensive to tout technology and ignore the huge problem facing a large number of the city's schools is typical of the way in which Chicago has ignored one of the most dramatic social and criminal problems it faces. Because Chicago has the largest and best organized drug gangs in the USA (dwarfing those depicted by Hollywood in movies about Los Angeles), a serious approach to the gangs would require following the money trails that lead from the gangs to the higher reaches of social, political and economic power in the nation's third largest city. That has been forbidden for generations, as part of a cover up that is enormous in both scope and in the length of its history.

There is not one general high school in Chicago where a brief survey of the students would not reveal precisely which gangs claimed that school. Most of the city's general high schools in the 21st Century are claimed by the "Disciples" gangs (represented by the six-pointed star), while a virulent minority are claimed by the "People" (five pointed star). While those who learn about gangs from Hollywood (rather than in the rough lessons of the streets) talk about "Crips" and "Bloods," in Chicago the five and six govern. The reason is that the gangs' leaders, because of budget cuts, long ago divided up the turfs within the state prison system, operating under their leaders as a shadow government within the system. Senior gang leaders in the state's prisons have more power than police, prison guards, or judges and courts over the life and death of the prisoners.

In a July 24 press release, the CPS Office of Communications reported the following:

A few months before the first photograph in this article was taken (of an MLD dispute on Chicago's north side), the garage across the street from Gage Park High School nearly 12 miles away was covered with the other side of the dispute. In the above graphic narrative, the MLDs (pitchforks up in this case) are stating their intentions of killing the Latin Kings (crowns upside down). Gang problems at Chicago's general high schools, whether Schurz on the north side or Gage Park miles away, stem from the political and economic power of the city's huge drug gangs, and the decision by Chicago's ruling class to focus attention away from the gangs an towards other narratives. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt. Chicago Public Schools to Invest $7 Million to Boost School Safety Through High-Tech Camera Systems. Implementation of new technology would promote safe and positive learning environments

For more information contact: Frank Shuftan, CPS Office of Communications, Phone: 773-553-1620--office. 773-553-1613--direct. 773-841-7280--cell. E-mail: frshuftan@cps.k12.il.us

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:. July 24, 2011

Chicago Public Schools officials are proposing an enhanced electronic security system that would place new high-definition security cameras at 14 high schools during fiscal year 2012.

Despite facing difficult economic times, CPS officials say the investment in a new state-of-the-art camera system would further enhance the safety and security of students and create a safer climate for teaching and learning.

The proposed new camera strategy would cost $7 million during FY 2012. Implementation of the system would build upon existing successes in student safety and school climate at Fenger High School, which already has piloted the new camera system.

The above MLD graffiti, from a desk in a north side high school in October 2009, represents the Maniac Latin Disciples (MLDs). A tiny sliver of such graffiti (the above piece is smaller than a quarter) indicates control, even if many teachers are counseled to ignore it. Some versions of the narrative (such as "KK, MLD") could constitute a declaration of war, a statement of the intention to murder another student ("KK" means "King Killer."). Anonymous photo verified by Substance.“Despite the tough economic times facing our district, we’re taking additional steps to reduce crime and create a school environments that are safe for students and staff, which is vital for teaching and learning,” said CPS CEO Jean-Claude Brizard. “Enhancing and maintaining a real sense of safety and creating a positive environment within our schools is a significant tool in driving student outcomes.”

The high-tech system has been piloted at Fenger High School, where misconduct cases declined by 59 percent from the 2010 to 2011 school year, arrests dropped by 69 percent and index crimes declined by 67 percent. False fire alarms at Fenger dropped from eight in the 2008 school year to zero last year. More recently, the system has been installed at Solorio and South Shore High Schools.

Along with the new enhanced technology, Fenger’s safety initiatives include Culture of Calm and Safe Passage.

This year’s plan would place between 50 and 80 cameras at 14 high schools that were identified through the use of specific safety metrics and school incident data – such as number of cases of severe misconduct under the CPS Student Code of Conduct, arrests in or on school property, and crimes in or on school property reported by law enforcement. Information drawn from these metrics formed the criteria for selection of the schools.

The high schools that would receive the cameras in FY 12 include: Clemente, Hyde Park, Sullivan, Morgan Park, Orr, Marshall, Dunbar, Tilden, Bogan, Wells, Senn, Juarez, Julian and Farragut.

The Chicago Public Schools security camera system was introduced in 1999. The present system is composed of video recording system with 7,000-plus analogue cameras across 268 schools. Another 365 schools currently have no cameras.

Moving to the new state-of-the-art camera platform will enhance the current system and also leverage resources from the Chicago Police Department (CPD) and the Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC), CPS officials said.

Through this system:

-- Images ported to nearest Police Station, to mobile devices and can be viewed at CPS Safety and Security, CPD and OEMC

-- The system will produce quality video images that will allow for future video analytics

-- The system will operate on a user-friendly camera platform which uses standard technology and facilitate the training of security personnel

Above, three members of the "Lady Taliban" branch of the Gangster Disciples street gang who their weapons in this photograph provided to Substance from sources at Chicago's Julian High School two years ago. CPS has worked with the Mayor’s Office Citywide Camera Committee. Other agencies involved in the committee include OEMC, CPD, Chicago Department of Transportation, Chicago Housing Authority, Navy Pier, Chicago Department of Aviation, City Colleges of Chicago, the Chicago Transit Authority and the Public Building Commission of Chicago.

Chicago Public Schools serves approximately 410,000 students. It is the nation’s [sic] third-largest school system.

– –

Copyright 2006-2020 by Substance News. All rights reserved.