BOARDWATCH: James Patrick on school closings
The public schools in every neighborhood in the City of Chicago are key assets and community centers. I do not want to see school buildings abandoned, torn down, or repurposed out of public use, thus setting back our neighborhoods. The teachers, administrators, staff, teams of volunteers, parents and various community organizations and organized school support groups have, through tremendous effort, helped these schools make great strides. Children should have the option of being able to walk to good public schools in familiar settings without having to cross into danger zones or to endure inconvenient transport.
The closure, consolidation and co-location of schools, as done in the past by CPS, even in small batches, have been disruptive for children, families, schools and communities, and have not resulted in the children displaced going to schools that are better but to schools that are further away. The yearly threat of closures sets schools and communities against each other and makes it impossible for parents to plan their children's education or for schools to be assured of a stable population for long-term planning. I believe that CPS's stated goals for the closures, including to reduce building operations costs and to sell assets, are based on inaccurate assumptions and data, and that closures will be detrimental to families, schools, and the neighborhoods.
I seek deferral of school closings in Chicago pending development of a sound and equitable plan that incorporates the input and takes into account the needs and concerns of children, parents and communities. Sincerely, James Patrick.
