Winnetka, Illinios, the swanky north shore suburb of Chicago, and home to the top-tier New Trier school system had some visitors from down yonder.Rev. James Meeks, from the city of Chicago, bussed a whole bunch of kids up there to symbolically try and register for classes in the vastly-better-funded school district.
Everyone knows that schools' funding can very dramatically by local property taxes, but I find myself sympathetic to both sides. If I'm someone who's busted my ass to make sure I can afford to live in an area like Winnetka, so my kids can get the quality education that comes with it, I don't want my taxes dilluted more and going to be spent elsewhere.
On the other hand, if I'm someone living in Chicago, perhaps working a few gigs just to make ends meet, does it seem like my kids are getting a fair shake from the Chicago Public School system? Wouldn't I be a bit resentful that the 'public' education my kids are getting is not even in the same universe as the ones being doled out 30 miles north?
As noted, the protest was largely symbollic. Enrolling in a school outside one's distric requires de facto tuition payments and there's also a plausible argument that the parents' beef should be not with the north shore, but with their own communities and the Chicago Public Schools.
It's not easy for me to make a clear "this group is right and the other is wrong" stance on this one, but I have to hand it to the Rev. for making it a big story in Chicago today and to get people who are smarter than me talking about it more openly...sometimes an in-your-face approach works.
3 comments:
I was there this morning. We should chat about it.
There was no where near the 3,000 Meeks claimed to have brought. There were about ten buses, the first three were full, and the rest had MAYBE ten people each. Keep in mind these were full sized school buses.
also, CPS spends more money per pupil than 94% of school districts in Illinois. Naperville, a suburb of Chicago, spends $500 less per pupil, but has superior performance and graduation rates.
Food for thought...
I'll try you this weekend if you have time because I would love to hear.
And I'm not surprised...like in the post, maybe their grievance is more-appropriately aimed at the City, not their neighbors.
Thank you for putting up the additional context...
As usual the finer and context adding points get omitted in translation. I would love to hear more too.
Its an interesting conundrum that you mention Dan, and they're completely valid questions you ask.
If you have any great ideas you could stand to make a lot of money when we privatize all our schools. :)
Seriously though, there are some pretty intersting things schools are trying to do. While on one hand I see the need to do something different, but different might need to be more teachers, smaller classes, and a point of stability for some children.
But my point still stands: if one had an interest in throwing ideas against the wall to see which ones actually stick the education industry would be a good place to be right now and in the next few years.
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