Education | theprimagecorp.com

Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis speaks outside Mahalia Jackson Elementary School in Chicago about the planned closing of 54 public schools. Opponents say the plan will disproportionately affect minority students in the nation’s third-largest school district.

Juan Carlos Ordonez, 5, gets a hug from his mother at Chicago’s Jean De Lafayette Elementary School, one of 54 schools slated for closure. Ordonez attends a special education program for students with autism or severe and profound disabilities. About 170 of Lafayette’s 480 students are in the program.

“Whether it’s libraries, computer science labs, even things like fresh coats of paint help to provide the kind of learning environment and support that kids need to be successful,” Carroll says.

Timothy Knowles, the head of the University of Chicago’s Urban Education Institute, says he understands the rationale behind Chicago’s move.

“There’s no question about the economics here. Maintaining half-empty, century-old buildings doesn’t make sense for cash-strapped cities and states,” Knowles says.

The school district says it will save $560 million over the next decade. But Knowles says no city in the country has made changes of this magnitude in one year. He says one of the biggest challenges for Chicago will be whether the children will go to better schools. Another is whether school closures will put children’s safety at risk.

Many of the schools are in high-crime areas where gang violence is common. While the school district plans to have community patrols to help students get to their new locations, the Rev. Paul Jakes says it will be dangerous for plenty of kids traveling through competing gang turf.

“We’re coming to say that if any child’s life is lost, that the blood of that child is on the hands of Mayor Rahm Emanuel,” he says.

Chicago’s massive school closing announcement comes just weeks after Philadelphia voted to shut down more than 20 schools.

Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis, who led a strike early in the school year, says Emanuel should be ashamed.

“Closing 50 schools is an abomination,” Lewis says. “But for him Wall Street will be cheering, ’cause that’s what they did about Philadelphia. This is not a game between mayors to see how many schools they can close. These are real children’s lives.”

The union will rally against the proposed closures next week, and school board members will vote on them in May.

Apr 01

Archive for the 'Education' Category

Musician Brian McKnight Uses ‘More Than Words’

Filled under: Education | Monday, April 1st, 2013 |

Story By: Tell Me More

Rhythm and Blues musician Brian McKnight has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide. He’s earned 16 Grammy nominations and worked on projects with Justin Timberlake and Mary J. Blige. He’s also an actor, father and has an arts education foundation. Host Michel Martin talks to McKnight about his life and new album, More Than Words.

Mar 25