Further militarization of Chicago's public high schools OKd at October 2007 Chicago Board of Education meeting
On October 24, 2007, nine days after Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley dedicated the "Marine Military Academy" high school at the former Grant Elementary School on Chicago’s West Side, the Chicago Board of Education, without discussion or debate, approved a Board Report that will create the nation’s first “Air Force Academy” high school in Chicago.
Speaking at the October 24 Board meeting, Air Force Lt. Col. Kim Harrell explained the Air Force high school.
Board President Rufus Williams, who has claimed that the expansion of military high schools in Chicago is ensuring that students have “college preparatory” offerings, joked with Col. Harrell that it was the first time he had seen her out of uniform.
CPS officials have tried to downplay the militarization of Chicago’s high schools under the Daley administration’s Renaissance 2010 program, but have refused to discuss why military high schools and the nation’s largest JROTC (Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps) program are “college preparatory” educations for Chicago high school students — but not for students from Chicago’s wealthier suburbs.
