And about J.N. Thorp... Following the successful teach-in and as the Hit List struggle begins, let's not forget those schools like J.N. Thorp and Penn that are still struggling against the infestation of charter school 'co-location'
An historic struggle to take back our schools is taking shape. The CTU called a city wide teach-in Dec. 3, 2011, to stop the next round of school closings and turnarounds that will affect 18 schools and nearly 6,000 students. Two more public schools will be hurt by co-location with charters if the proposed 2012 Hit List, the first under Mayor Rahm Emanuel, is approved by the Board of Education at its February meeting.
Answering the call on December 3 were over 500 teachers, parents, students and others — a total of 125 different school representatives (according to what I heard) and over 25 unions and community groups. In all 500 teachers, parents and community activists came to King College Prep. High School.
During the lunch break a number of school teachers and activists spoke about defending their schools. Some talked about neighborhood meetings and marches. Others are preparing to protest the sham hearings that will be held in January.
Most importantly everyone on the hit list will be protesting in front of the CPS "One Percent" Board of Education on Dec. 14th. A vigil is scheduled to spend overnight in front of CPS headquarters at 125 S. Clark St. on the night of December 13.
The Secret Hit List for Next Year
At the lunch break, I also spoke about J. N. Thorp Elementary School in South Chicago sharing space with a charter school. I believe there is a secret hit list. Schools like Thorp, which are subjected of "co-location", are being strangled as the charter in our midst takes more and more space from the real public school. In other parts of the city, many public schools find themselves almost surrounded by charter schools. Recruiting our students from the public buildings into the charter schools is a big part of their plans every year, and the CPS Office of New Schools have regularly been providing the charters will the names and contact information about our "top" (scoring) students for several years, according to Substance.
Over the city we find our real public schools underfunded and student enrollment dropping while the charter schools are growing. Teachers and parents now see the privatizing effort of the Daley era and now Rahm Emanuel. By one count, there are over 110 charter schools (and "campuses") in Chicago.
At J. N. Thorp, we are competing for the same students while Learn Charter received $2 million dollars the first week of Sept 2010, when they opened their “new school” in our building. One million came from Oprah Winfrey and the second million in public money from Arne Duncan Sec. of Education.
Is J. N. Thorp on the Secret Phased Closing List?
Not an extra penny came to the real public school. The underfunding at J. N. Thorp looks like a way to cause a phased closing of our public school. We lost two teachers this fall due to a falling student enrollment. We may be on the phased closing hit list next year if we do not show and convince parents to fight for their public school like they fight for their children.
CVCA Is On Hit List - No One Is Safe-
Ninos, Mireles, New Sullivan and Taylor and other schools surrounding South Chicago could be on the next year’s hit list. Two years ago, Ron Huberman destroyed South Chicago Elementary School despite the fact that there was nothing wrong with the school, and it had just undergone major renovations. The building was given to the LEARN charter school which is now preying on students across South Chicago.
A few miles north, all the teachers were fired at Bradwell last year, and Bradwell was turned over to AUSL for "turnaround" despite eloquent pleas from hundreds of parents, teachers and students (including CORE leaders) who showed up at the hearings (which no media except Substance covered).
Now CVCA — Chicago Vocational! — is on the current turnaround Hit List. Students will suffer as the teachers are fired. The projected two million dollar price tag for CVCA turnaround could have been spent on much needed school programs. No one is safe from the secret privatizing, and turnaround plans that Rahm is planning for next year.
Only by our power to organize to stop the dismanteling of public education can we win.
Organize to Stop Closing and Turnarounds
As many people pointed out at the teach-in, this year, will be the most important epic struggle of parents and teachers in our generation. We are on edge of losing public education if we stay home. In the struggle for equality, public education was/is the great equalizer. Good schools for all children is our goal. Parents need to join with the teachers to fight back.
When CVCA calls a protest march, we should join. All the feeder schools surrounding CVCA should begin to form defensive plans to fight back. This will be long struggle to take back our schools.
We Must Organize or Public Education Will Be Gone-
Teachers, parents and the public should realize that there is no end to CPS closing and privatizing all of our public buildings unless we stop them. If you value public education now is the time to join with your local public school and give them support. We are the 99%.
(*For more info. about the “Stop School Closings”event go to Substance News: http://www.substancenews.net/articles.php?page=2874§ion=Article
