Education is a great topic to get things moving on the Chicago Region Civic
Forum.
Recently the Mayor appointed a new President to the Board of Education, Mary
Richardson-Lowry.
Mike Klonsky (@mikeklonsky on twitter), blogger and advocate for Small Schools
movement posted his take on the situation:
http://michaelklonsky.blogspot.com/2010/01/daley-appoints-another-fixer-as-board.html
"Daley appoints another fixer" is the title of his article.
I won't post the text of the blog, here. (What should policy be on that?)
I invite your thoughts on this -- Education is a core issue for quality of life
in the city.
Violence in and around schools has been a major topic in Chicago as a result of
some tragic events in the past year. Are we taking meaningful steps towards
changing the situation? Who should we be watching on this topic? Who should
we invite to the Chicago Region Civic Forum? What lessons can be drawn for
concerned citizens and parents?
Michael Maranda
Hyde Park, Chicago
He Mike and All,
I had a few words to say about this topic but got carried away and have posted
my response at Chicago Civic Media's "Seeding Civic Media" blog at
http://civicmediausa.wordpress.com/
Here's a snippet:
Before it can reform its public schools, Chicago must abandon the decades of
failed incremental practices that have marked all attempts at school reform
since the 1960’s. Chicagoans must address what, during these decades of failed
reform, has taken shape during these lean years as the primary and deadly
threat to good schools and Chicago youth as well: its gang and drug problem and
the institutionalized poverty that underlies gangs and drugs.
Bluntly put: Chicago school reform will be a lost cause until Chicago students
can see the seemingly insoluble problem of gangs and drugs being credibly
addressed and solved by their parents, teachers and city leaders. More than
this, school reform will be a lost cause until Chicago students can see
themselves deeply involved in the solution.
This morning I reread my long post of yesterday and had doubts. Moving from
Chicago to Glenview in 2001, I've had little direct contact with CPS, and I can
readily imagine the displeasure with my post coming from hard-working
professionals who have dedicated their careers to the incremental reforms that
I say we need to abandon.
I need listen these people. Celebrate the progress that has been made. But also
identify the schools and neighborhoods where progress has not been possible.
Then comes the problem-solving mechanism that gives parents, students and
teachers in these schools and neighborhoods an informed voice in defining and
solving the problems there.