Several CPS bureaucrats—looking ominous and grim as always—stood along the wall.
One of the leaders of the advisory council read questions submitted by audience members. The charter operators sitting at the front of the room then gave their responses.
Let me pause to give a shout-out to Noble—the operation was at the top of its game. It was hard not to be moved by the parents who described how their children had benefited from Noble’s rigorous discipline.
And Noble’s chief development officer, Rhonda Kochlefl, was nothing but cool as she fielded hostile questions from the crowd.
Intrinsic CEO Melissa Zaikos was also unflappable, though she stumbled when asked how her schools were different from those operated by the United Neighborhood Organization, which has also expanded into the northwest side, and which has been embroiled in a contracting scandal.
Clearly not wanting to bad-mouth another charter operator, Zaikos said she didn’t know much about UNO’s troubles, but promised to run a transparent operation.
Of course, UNO’s leaders have made essentially the same transparency pledge, even as their lawyers are fighting like the devil to block public access to basic financial information that ordinary public schools have to disclose.
For me the highlight of the hearing came when Noble officials were asked what they would do if their teachers voted to form a union.
Silence. The Noble reps exchanged looks, as though they were quietly trying to decide who would get stuck with the job of handling this hot potato.
At which point some wisenheimer from the back of the room called out: “Terminate them!”
See, you really can’t take these teachers anywhere.
Eventually one of the Noble officials said, “Noble is not for unions, but if that’s something that they want to do, we will abide.”
Hear that teachers? Get to work.
The advisory council members wound up voting eight to seven to endorse both schools. The matter now goes to the board. Gee, wonder how it’ll vote.