Rahm creates a process to endorse his plan for more charter schools

In addition, Intrinsic hasn’t selected a location for its proposed new school. So it’s pretty hard to evaluate the school’s facilities plan if it doesn’t have a facility.

At least Noble had a site for its latest proposed charter. The problem is that it’s in an abandoned lumberyard across the street from Prosser High School. Some Prosser parents are worried that there could be routine scuffles between the students as they go to and from school, and some Prosser staff worry that the charters will siphon off some of their most promising students.

Part of me thinks that the real goal is to replicate what’s happened on the west and south sides, where newly created charters drew enough students from the schools to help justify closing 50 of them.

But then I remember that the mayor says he’s doing all of this for the children.

In any event, before the advisory council gave CPS any advice, the group wanted to hear from the community. In fact, many of the council members wanted to hold the meeting at Prosser, but CPS officials said that Prosser was off-limits because it wasn’t a neutral site.

Let’s pause to ponder that point: It’s OK to have charter school cheerleaders facilitate the process, but it’s unfair to have the hearing in a regular public school.

Because you wouldn’t to take the chance that too many unionized teachers show up.

And so on December 11 the council held a meeting at the Northwest Community Church, at 5318 W. Diversey. More than 200 people showed up—not a bad turnout on a bitterly cold Wednesday night—including local public school parents and teachers and union activists.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *