The purpose of this blog is to organize documentation of the hearings that the appointed Chicago Board of Education is holding to hear public response to the proposed closings, consolidations, phase-outs and turnarounds.
I was pleased to see a long line of people waiting to sign in downstairs when I returned for the second hearing. I’m surprised CPS didn’t schedule all the meetings to start at 3:00, because the later meetings seem to be so much better attended—expect all early hearings next year. In the middle of the hearing, I counted about 50 people in attendance.
Hearing Officer Fred Bates seemed annoyed that at 5:30 when the hearing opened, most of people that were testifying were still in line downstairs. He called for a recess almost immediately and waited until people began to trickle into the chambers. Once he saw that Reed had brought a sizeable delegation, he reminded everyone that this was a hearing and not a Board of Ed. meeting and that they should conduct themselves to reflect that fact and there should be no applauding. He said that students shouldn’t state their names and told George Schmidt, by name, not to take any pictures of minors. Schmidt approached the microphone and waited for Bates to stop talking. He then said that he had a 1st Amendment right to photograph at a public hearing. Bates began to argue with him, saying that he didn’t have parental permission to photograph. Schmidt said again that it was against the 1st Amendment to prevent him from taking pictures and that while the hearing officer might not have parental permission, he was sure that the principal did. Bates raised his voice and told Schmidt to “move away from the mic.”
Jennifer Woo from CPS’s Law Department read a statement and submitted a binder to be put into the record. After Woo, James Dispensa read his report about the underutilization of Reed and three neighboring schools: Nicholson Elementary (6006 S. Peoria), Banneker Elementary (6656 S. Normal), and Parker Community Academy (6800 S. Stewart * they share a building with Amandla Charter School). The plan proposed for Reed, which is currently a Pre-K to 8th school is to phase out Pre-K and Kindergarten next year, then drop one more grade each subsequent year. Students that would have attended Reed in the grades that are no longer there will be divided among the other three schools. Dispensa said that there would be no effect on current students. He then cited the following enrollment declines:
2001-02 School Year - 2008-09 School Year
Reed 552 - 297
Nicholson 805 - 405
Banneker 566 - 379
Parker 1004 - 717
Dispensa provided PowerPoint graphs tracking the decline in enrollment for each school. (I noticed that Parker actually had an increase in enrollment between last year and this year). Dispensa noted that while Parker’s % of utilization seemed especially low, they share a building with Amandla Charter School and they expect their numbers to increase, which would increase their utilization percentage.
Before the public comments began, Bates again told Schmidt “you shouldn’t take those pictures and you know it.”
The first person to testify in the public comments portion was Franklin Gay, who spoke on behalf of Samantha Woo. Both Gay and Woo work on behalf of the University of Illinois at Chicago as part of their Families and Communities Group. FCG’s role is to support family engagement in schools. Gay said that of the many schools they serve, Reed stands out due to the quality of community engagement and parental involvement. He said that children are supported at Reed and they need the community resources provided through partnerships with the school. His statement was signed on behalf of Woo as well as a pair of professors from UIC.
I spoke second and began by noting that while Dispensa said no students would be affected by the phase out of Reed, that clearly parents that had students in multiple grade levels would be impacted since now their students would be attending multiple schools. I questioned why Parker’s enrollment seemed to be on the increase based on Dispensa’s graphs. I also questioned why small class sizes were good for charters but not for neighborhood schools. I made sure to demand a moratorium on closings, turnarounds, phase outs etc. and asked where the Board of Education members were.
A representative from Alderman Willie Cochran’s office read a statement from the alderman that said the phase out criteria is “woefully flawed.” His letter noted that the Englewood community is becoming more densely populated and that smaller class sizes would be beneficial. He said that the circumstances of the community were not being taken into account. The speaker noted that a group called Teamwork Englewood has been working to improve the neighborhood by building affordable housing and that Reed will be needed when new residents move into the area. The same representative then read a statement from St. Bernard Hospital. The hospital works with the school and the community to make the community “physically and economically healthier.” They are working together with the Park Bank Initiative to build 35 new homes in a complex called St. Bernard Place II which is located between 64th and 65th Streets. Reed is a key ingredient to the continued development of Englewood and they still need more revitalization.
When the speaker finished, Bates said, “make sure you tell the alderman I gave you twice the amount of time.”
Samantha Rapson, a third grade teacher from Reed spoke next. She said that Reed has a talented staff and that the school’s scores are the highest they have been in 5 years. She has seen the students become more disciplined in recent years and they care about learning. She said the change in boundaries would increase the commute for young students and threaten their safety. She said she felt it would be bad for the students to switch schools.
Maria Rodriguez, CTU Field Rep. for Reed said that she had seen changes at Reed and there was a positive attitude in the school. She noted that the boundary lines would cross gang territories and that Banneker school is in a high traffic area. She said that the enrollment is down at Reed, but asked what would be said if charter schools’ enrollment dropped. She said that parents would have problems if they have students in different grade levels and said that eventually the receiving schools would become overpopulated.
Michelle Lemons, the LSC Chair for Reed said CPS would fail Pre-K and Kindergarten parents if Reed is phased out. She noted that Reed had turned themselves around and have inspired an increase in parental contact due to what is happening in the classrooms. She also pointed out the need for the community partnerships Reed has built.
After Lemons spoke, Bates said that he saw someone on his list affiliated with someone he knew and said to “say hello to my friend Maggie.”
Mary McGuire spoke on behalf of CTU and said that as teachers and PSRPs we are used to listening and then making judgments. She said the lower enrollment at Reed should be seen as an opportunity to expand community services. She said that lower class sizes would increase individual instruction and community interaction. She said that new housing is being built in the area and it would be foolish to close a school with children moving into the neighborhood. She said that there is a focus on “community schools,” i.e. schools that are open beyond school hours to provide community members access to social service agencies such as the partnership with UIC and that these programs “use the school as an anchor.”
Vera Jones, a school community representative began her testimony with a series of questions such as “What difference will it make if the school is closed?” and “who cares how far the students will have to walk?” to point out the strengths of Reed. Using these questions she pointed out that students will have siblings attending different schools, that there will no longer be a Boys and Girls Club or chess club and that the Board doesn’t care about how students feel about the phase out. She noted that past students will no longer have a way to come back to see trophies they earned or teachers they had. She commented that CPS’s boundaries do not define the school, but that the community and family that Reed has made do define them.
Tracy Neil, a parent of 5 students at Reed said that she wasn’t going to speak at the hearing but when she went to the school and saw parents willing to fight, she had to speak up. She said she was impressed that everyone at the school knew the names of all of her children and that teachers and administration showed true concern for the parents, students, and school.
Yolanda Clayborn, a student support specialist said she had been at Reed for 6 years. She discussed the turnaround in student behavior due to Reed’s participation in the PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention Support) program. She said Reed is a safe place where students can learn, teachers can teach and that they have systems in place to reward positive behavior. She stated that “Reed is not ready to be phased out.” She ended her testimony saying “phase out, no way. Walter Reed is here to stay.”
Sandra Golden, a parent, volunteer, and afterschool worker at Reed said that the school was outstanding and made a big difference in her son’s life. She said that she has a daughter that will have a long walk to school by herself if Reed is phased out. She said Reed’s staff knows her daughter and will look out for her. The hearing officer asked her where she lived and she said the 700 block of 61st Place.
Rena Lofton, a special education teacher at Reed spoke and referred to Reed as a Bernie Mac character called “Big Momma.” She said that Big Momma provides trust, someone you can depend on, commitment, courage, strength, perseverance and that Reed is Big Momma. She said Reed provides for children during and after school, that they have special programs for special needs students, provide transportation and creates strong leadership and children that are college bound. She said that the Reed family stands proud and together in safe, loved, and capable hands.
Rebecca Watson, Principal, shared her concern that the changes will directly affect parents, children, families and provide less predictable outcomes. She said changes will increase the risk to student safety and decrease ownership among the community. She said that Reed is run based on holistic development that includes parents and community partners. The phase out will “dis-empower [sic] parents” and prevent them from making a choice involving the safety of their children. It would jeopardize the safety due to gang territories and making students walk additional blocks to get to school. She stated that community resources Reed is currently directing to parents and students will be cut off and she wishes the Board would reconsider the proposal. She ended her testimony noting that small class sizes empower teachers and students and that class size is one of the things “New” schools use to attract parents.
Nate Goldbaum spoke on behalf of CORE and testified that neighborhoods are being revitalized “in the mayor’s image” and said that the new schools being created are drawing students out of neighborhood schools and shutting them down. He noted that last year’s hearing transcripts were not given to the press which showed that the Board didn’t read the testimony. Bates interrupted Goldbaum and said that though he didn’t need to respond to his claims that people from CORE seemed to be confused. He mentioned the previous hearing where another CORE member had said the same thing. He said the Board is not given transcripts, but instead get his report. Goldbaum clarified that he wasn’t implying that the hearing officers weren’t doing their jobs, but rather the Board was not doing their job. He then looked around and asked if any Board members were present. Goldbaum noted that underutilization places value on things over people. He said that the fact that people can’t clap in support of one another at the hearings shows that it is an “inhumane bureaucratic process that puts buildings before the people who built the community.”
Carrie Tipton from Family Focus Englewood said that they are a family support and social service agency that serves Reed. Reed currently has 93 students enrolled in their programs and these students need a stable sustained program. She said they link parents with resources and even hire Reed parents to work for Family Focus Englewood. Reed should stay open to keep families stable and allow parents a school of their choice. Reed provides services in academic, mental health, community organizing and job training areas.
Bates then had the students that would be testifying line up in order so that their names wouldn’t be read into the public record.
Student testimony included both male and female students ranging in grade level from 4th or 5th up to 8th. Most of the students mentioned the Boys and Girls Club programs provided at Reed and many noted that they had numerous family ties to the school with parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins who had all attended Reed. The final student to speak noted that there are problems in the neighborhood and said “the death rate will go higher” if Reed closes. 5 students testified in this group.
The Assistant Principal, Camille Williams, spoke between the two groups of students. She said that Reed had made a change that many organizations seek but few achieve. She said there has been a change in the climate, culture, pride and participation in the school and that there was a synergy there. She closed by saying she had one wish: “let us continue our work.”
Student testimony resumed with 4 more students testifying. A woman who appeared to be a parent cried in the audience as one nervous student testified while the principal stood by her side with an arm around her for support. The most notable testimony came from a 7th grade girl who said “I wonder what the problem is” at Reed. She said that students are often told to “remember where you came from” and asked how she could remember once the school is gone.
After the student testimony, Bates said that it “pulled at the heartstrings” and said that “we don’t want kids feeling stigmatized.” He then told the students “you move on” and made them feel so much better by noting that his own high school and grade school no longer exist.
Tina Velasquez from Community Organizing and Family Issues noted that they have a three year partnership with Family Focus Englewood and parent leaders in a group called L.O.V.E. that includes 160 business partners, neighbors, churches and community members. She said that there is parent engagement at Reed and that they have created positive places to learn. Parents work hand-in-hand with school staff.
Tehray Hale, a graduate from Public Allies, a program where he was supervised by Michelle Obama, supports social and emotional learning needs of students. He said that Reed has built a sustainable community organization in Englewood that includes Reed, Robeson HS, and Kennedy King College and graduates remaining in the community to give back to it.
During his testimony Hale said that he wasn’t sure if Bates was familiar with Englewood, to which he quickly and snidely retorted “I drive through it every day.”
The final speaker’s registration card was missing and Bates made a big show of letting him speak despite proper procedure not being followed. After Bates’s long-winded explanation of the hearing rules, he allowed Darryl Smith, the Site Director of Reed’s Boys and Girls Club to testify. He said that Reed has produced a more positive and productive culture through their community partnerships. He said if Reed closes, the community will lose another social resource in an area “devoid of services for children.” He said closing Reed would leave children devoid of hope and that they will always doubt new, positive things in their lives because they will fear they won’t last. He said that Reed was a precious commodity, not just a building, but children. He pointed out that Boys and Girls Club keeps children off the streets between 3 and 6 pm, when most children try drugs and alcohol for the first time and either become victims of or perpetrators of violent crimes. He said based on the reputation of Englewood, instead of closing schools, we should be opening them and resources should be pouring in.
After testimony was over, the principal submitted a petition for the record, then a man named John Paul Jones raised his hand to indicate that he wanted to testify. After sending someone over to talk to Jones, Bates gave another long-winded speech about how he had discretion to “run the hearing how I see fit” and since the man didn’t sign in during the prescribed time period his testimony would not be accepted. (It was not yet 7:30, the scheduled time for the hearing to end). Bates then continued to publicly chastise Jones, and told him again that he wouldn’t allow him to speak.
The overall tone of the speakers was respectful and a little timid. They seemed afraid to speak out loudly against the phase out in comparison to other schools I have seen testify.
Hearing Notes—Best Practice High School (Phase Out)--2/4/09
I arrived at 3:30 so I missed the first half hour of the hearing, and I’m not sure how many people spoke in that time.
The hearing was sparsely attended, as all of the early hearings have been. I believe that this is due to the fact that the people being most affected by these closings, turnarounds, phase outs etc. are still working or learning at the time of the hearings.
The main arguments presented by the community members and one staff member focused on the programs offered at Best Practice and their strength as having one of the few vocational programs left in CPS.
The first speaker I heard was Leslie Recht, a representative from Alderman Fioretti’s office. She is the same woman I spoke with at Friday’s hearings who told me that she thought charter schools offered some good alternatives for families, and that some schools should just be shut down. She told the hearing officer that she was there to listen and to ask CPS to work with the alderman, principal and parents to form a support system for the students that will be affected by the phase out. She did not speak against the phase out, she only asked for cooperation between all interested parties.
Sister Gladys Carter, a community representative and parent who spoke on behalf of BP also called for community cooperation in the process, but also spoke strongly in favor of not phasing out the school. She said she was there as a “Sister,” because churches serve families and communities and the Board needs to listen to their voice. She explained that the students of BP were not at the hearing because they were still at school or at home doing homework. She said that BP needs to be able to continue to offer programs to the community because they are doing a good job. She pointed out that many of BP’s students are 17-18 years old and that they are needed to keep the city running. She said that as adults, we tell the students that “no child left behind” is real, but if we phase out BP, they will speak out when they reach voting age. She said that as a product of CPS she is able to eloquently speak because she was given a chance, and that the students of BP should also be given a chance. She concluded saying, “remember our children, give them a chance.”
Jim Vail of CORE spoke next and focused his testimony on the process of the hearings. He questioned the independence of the “independent hearing officer,” and said that not much happened last year as a result of the hearings then. He asked where the Board members were and pointed out that the hearing testimony was not available in time for the Board to have read it all to make their decisions. He said that he had spoken to congressmen and aldermen that want to pass legislation that would force CPS to study what effect “moving students like chess pieces” will have on students. Vail then addressed James Dispensa, and asked him to look at his numbers. He said that utilization is based on the number of children per room, based on 1920’s formulas that aimed to have 30 students in a classroom. He pointed out that schools today offer more services such as library and technology classes that require a separate space in schools that was not needed back in the 1920s. Vail questioned Dispensa and the hearing officer, asking if charters are not “underutilized” under these same formulas. Vail pointed out that some of the schools being closed have higher test scores than those remaining open. He began to discuss Rep. Danny Davis’s call to protest the closings when he was cut off by the hearing officer who told him to “sit down” because the information he was giving was not needed for his report back to the Board. The hearing officer then told Vail that he didn’t need to respond to him, then did by saying that someone named Rodriguez was there from the Board earlier (“Rodriguez” possibly being Board member Munana’s representative). He also told him that his reports from last year’s hearings were submitted in time for the Board members to read.
Jerald Siegal, Field Rep. for CTU spoke next. Siegal said that BP is able to offer many programs because there is more room in the building for them to do so. He said that across the city, vocational programs are disappearing and that BP is an asset to CPS because they offer them. He said that if the school is underutilized, they should be able to open their doors to more students. Keeping with the idea of the necessity for vocational programs, Siegal then said that we should be training people here (meaning the city and country) to do jobs here. College graduates are being laid off and companies are looking for skilled people to hire. He concluded saying that BP provides both education and a road to a career.
Mary McGuire from the CTU spoke next, beginning her testimony saying that she had been to several hearings and they made her think of a Mark Twain quote: “Out of the public schools lies the future of our nation.” She said she had just seen Michelle Obama on the news saying that she was thankful for public education and that it is a vehicle for people to better themselves. She spoke about Education to Careers and complimented the principal for increasing the number and scope of programs offered at BP. She said that cooperative work programs are important and vital. She also pointed out that teachers and PSRPs at BP are certified and highly qualified, while the same requirements are not made for charter schools. Instead of closing BP, they should be allowed to expand their net to attract new students to the school. She closed by asking the hearing officer to use best practice to determine the fate of this school.
James Walton, the Assistant Principal of BP opened his testimony by saying that the only requirement to attend BP is to live in Chicago. He said many students choose BP despite traveling a great distance because of the great programs, quality of instruction and programs offered and the availability of the school. He pointed out that students choose BP over their neighborhood schools and believes that BP is a “nurturing environment that gives students the opportunity to be all they can be.”
I spoke next, and talked about how small class sizes were touted at the New Schools Expo, yet neighborhood schools are being closed because they have small class sizes. I demanded a moratorium on closings, phase outs, turnarounds etc. and concluded by asking where the Board of Ed. representatives were.
The hearing officer then paraphrased a letter he had received from Danny Davis saying that Davis wrote in support of keeping BP open and closed the hearing.
Hearing Notes--Reed Elementary—2/4/09
ReplyDeleteI was pleased to see a long line of people waiting to sign in downstairs when I returned for the second hearing. I’m surprised CPS didn’t schedule all the meetings to start at 3:00, because the later meetings seem to be so much better attended—expect all early hearings next year. In the middle of the hearing, I counted about 50 people in attendance.
Hearing Officer Fred Bates seemed annoyed that at 5:30 when the hearing opened, most of people that were testifying were still in line downstairs. He called for a recess almost immediately and waited until people began to trickle into the chambers. Once he saw that Reed had brought a sizeable delegation, he reminded everyone that this was a hearing and not a Board of Ed. meeting and that they should conduct themselves to reflect that fact and there should be no applauding. He said that students shouldn’t state their names and told George Schmidt, by name, not to take any pictures of minors. Schmidt approached the microphone and waited for Bates to stop talking. He then said that he had a 1st Amendment right to photograph at a public hearing. Bates began to argue with him, saying that he didn’t have parental permission to photograph. Schmidt said again that it was against the 1st Amendment to prevent him from taking pictures and that while the hearing officer might not have parental permission, he was sure that the principal did. Bates raised his voice and told Schmidt to “move away from the mic.”
Jennifer Woo from CPS’s Law Department read a statement and submitted a binder to be put into the record. After Woo, James Dispensa read his report about the underutilization of Reed and three neighboring schools: Nicholson Elementary (6006 S. Peoria), Banneker Elementary (6656 S. Normal), and Parker Community Academy (6800 S. Stewart * they share a building with Amandla Charter School). The plan proposed for Reed, which is currently a Pre-K to 8th school is to phase out Pre-K and Kindergarten next year, then drop one more grade each subsequent year. Students that would have attended Reed in the grades that are no longer there will be divided among the other three schools. Dispensa said that there would be no effect on current students. He then cited the following enrollment declines:
2001-02 School Year - 2008-09 School Year
Reed
552 - 297
Nicholson
805 - 405
Banneker
566 - 379
Parker
1004 - 717
Dispensa provided PowerPoint graphs tracking the decline in enrollment for each school. (I noticed that Parker actually had an increase in enrollment between last year and this year). Dispensa noted that while Parker’s % of utilization seemed especially low, they share a building with Amandla Charter School and they expect their numbers to increase, which would increase their utilization percentage.
Before the public comments began, Bates again told Schmidt “you shouldn’t take those pictures and you know it.”
The first person to testify in the public comments portion was Franklin Gay, who spoke on behalf of Samantha Woo. Both Gay and Woo work on behalf of the University of Illinois at Chicago as part of their Families and Communities Group. FCG’s role is to support family engagement in schools. Gay said that of the many schools they serve, Reed stands out due to the quality of community engagement and parental involvement. He said that children are supported at Reed and they need the community resources provided through partnerships with the school. His statement was signed on behalf of Woo as well as a pair of professors from UIC.
I spoke second and began by noting that while Dispensa said no students would be affected by the phase out of Reed, that clearly parents that had students in multiple grade levels would be impacted since now their students would be attending multiple schools. I questioned why Parker’s enrollment seemed to be on the increase based on Dispensa’s graphs. I also questioned why small class sizes were good for charters but not for neighborhood schools. I made sure to demand a moratorium on closings, turnarounds, phase outs etc. and asked where the Board of Education members were.
A representative from Alderman Willie Cochran’s office read a statement from the alderman that said the phase out criteria is “woefully flawed.” His letter noted that the Englewood community is becoming more densely populated and that smaller class sizes would be beneficial. He said that the circumstances of the community were not being taken into account. The speaker noted that a group called Teamwork Englewood has been working to improve the neighborhood by building affordable housing and that Reed will be needed when new residents move into the area. The same representative then read a statement from St. Bernard Hospital. The hospital works with the school and the community to make the community “physically and economically healthier.” They are working together with the Park Bank Initiative to build 35 new homes in a complex called St. Bernard Place II which is located between 64th and 65th Streets. Reed is a key ingredient to the continued development of Englewood and they still need more revitalization.
When the speaker finished, Bates said, “make sure you tell the alderman I gave you twice the amount of time.”
Samantha Rapson, a third grade teacher from Reed spoke next. She said that Reed has a talented staff and that the school’s scores are the highest they have been in 5 years. She has seen the students become more disciplined in recent years and they care about learning. She said the change in boundaries would increase the commute for young students and threaten their safety. She said she felt it would be bad for the students to switch schools.
Maria Rodriguez, CTU Field Rep. for Reed said that she had seen changes at Reed and there was a positive attitude in the school. She noted that the boundary lines would cross gang territories and that Banneker school is in a high traffic area. She said that the enrollment is down at Reed, but asked what would be said if charter schools’ enrollment dropped. She said that parents would have problems if they have students in different grade levels and said that eventually the receiving schools would become overpopulated.
Michelle Lemons, the LSC Chair for Reed said CPS would fail Pre-K and Kindergarten parents if Reed is phased out. She noted that Reed had turned themselves around and have inspired an increase in parental contact due to what is happening in the classrooms. She also pointed out the need for the community partnerships Reed has built.
After Lemons spoke, Bates said that he saw someone on his list affiliated with someone he knew and said to “say hello to my friend Maggie.”
Mary McGuire spoke on behalf of CTU and said that as teachers and PSRPs we are used to listening and then making judgments. She said the lower enrollment at Reed should be seen as an opportunity to expand community services. She said that lower class sizes would increase individual instruction and community interaction. She said that new housing is being built in the area and it would be foolish to close a school with children moving into the neighborhood. She said that there is a focus on “community schools,” i.e. schools that are open beyond school hours to provide community members access to social service agencies such as the partnership with UIC and that these programs “use the school as an anchor.”
Vera Jones, a school community representative began her testimony with a series of questions such as “What difference will it make if the school is closed?” and “who cares how far the students will have to walk?” to point out the strengths of Reed. Using these questions she pointed out that students will have siblings attending different schools, that there will no longer be a Boys and Girls Club or chess club and that the Board doesn’t care about how students feel about the phase out. She noted that past students will no longer have a way to come back to see trophies they earned or teachers they had. She commented that CPS’s boundaries do not define the school, but that the community and family that Reed has made do define them.
Tracy Neil, a parent of 5 students at Reed said that she wasn’t going to speak at the hearing but when she went to the school and saw parents willing to fight, she had to speak up. She said she was impressed that everyone at the school knew the names of all of her children and that teachers and administration showed true concern for the parents, students, and school.
Yolanda Clayborn, a student support specialist said she had been at Reed for 6 years. She discussed the turnaround in student behavior due to Reed’s participation in the PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention Support) program. She said Reed is a safe place where students can learn, teachers can teach and that they have systems in place to reward positive behavior. She stated that “Reed is not ready to be phased out.” She ended her testimony saying “phase out, no way. Walter Reed is here to stay.”
Sandra Golden, a parent, volunteer, and afterschool worker at Reed said that the school was outstanding and made a big difference in her son’s life. She said that she has a daughter that will have a long walk to school by herself if Reed is phased out. She said Reed’s staff knows her daughter and will look out for her. The hearing officer asked her where she lived and she said the 700 block of 61st Place.
Rena Lofton, a special education teacher at Reed spoke and referred to Reed as a Bernie Mac character called “Big Momma.” She said that Big Momma provides trust, someone you can depend on, commitment, courage, strength, perseverance and that Reed is Big Momma. She said Reed provides for children during and after school, that they have special programs for special needs students, provide transportation and creates strong leadership and children that are college bound. She said that the Reed family stands proud and together in safe, loved, and capable hands.
Rebecca Watson, Principal, shared her concern that the changes will directly affect parents, children, families and provide less predictable outcomes. She said changes will increase the risk to student safety and decrease ownership among the community. She said that Reed is run based on holistic development that includes parents and community partners. The phase out will “dis-empower [sic] parents” and prevent them from making a choice involving the safety of their children. It would jeopardize the safety due to gang territories and making students walk additional blocks to get to school. She stated that community resources Reed is currently directing to parents and students will be cut off and she wishes the Board would reconsider the proposal. She ended her testimony noting that small class sizes empower teachers and students and that class size is one of the things “New” schools use to attract parents.
Nate Goldbaum spoke on behalf of CORE and testified that neighborhoods are being revitalized “in the mayor’s image” and said that the new schools being created are drawing students out of neighborhood schools and shutting them down. He noted that last year’s hearing transcripts were not given to the press which showed that the Board didn’t read the testimony. Bates interrupted Goldbaum and said that though he didn’t need to respond to his claims that people from CORE seemed to be confused. He mentioned the previous hearing where another CORE member had said the same thing. He said the Board is not given transcripts, but instead get his report. Goldbaum clarified that he wasn’t implying that the hearing officers weren’t doing their jobs, but rather the Board was not doing their job. He then looked around and asked if any Board members were present. Goldbaum noted that underutilization places value on things over people. He said that the fact that people can’t clap in support of one another at the hearings shows that it is an “inhumane bureaucratic process that puts buildings before the people who built the community.”
Carrie Tipton from Family Focus Englewood said that they are a family support and social service agency that serves Reed. Reed currently has 93 students enrolled in their programs and these students need a stable sustained program. She said they link parents with resources and even hire Reed parents to work for Family Focus Englewood. Reed should stay open to keep families stable and allow parents a school of their choice. Reed provides services in academic, mental health, community organizing and job training areas.
Bates then had the students that would be testifying line up in order so that their names wouldn’t be read into the public record.
Student testimony included both male and female students ranging in grade level from 4th or 5th up to 8th. Most of the students mentioned the Boys and Girls Club programs provided at Reed and many noted that they had numerous family ties to the school with parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins who had all attended Reed. The final student to speak noted that there are problems in the neighborhood and said “the death rate will go higher” if Reed closes. 5 students testified in this group.
The Assistant Principal, Camille Williams, spoke between the two groups of students. She said that Reed had made a change that many organizations seek but few achieve. She said there has been a change in the climate, culture, pride and participation in the school and that there was a synergy there. She closed by saying she had one wish: “let us continue our work.”
Student testimony resumed with 4 more students testifying. A woman who appeared to be a parent cried in the audience as one nervous student testified while the principal stood by her side with an arm around her for support. The most notable testimony came from a 7th grade girl who said “I wonder what the problem is” at Reed. She said that students are often told to “remember where you came from” and asked how she could remember once the school is gone.
After the student testimony, Bates said that it “pulled at the heartstrings” and said that “we don’t want kids feeling stigmatized.” He then told the students “you move on” and made them feel so much better by noting that his own high school and grade school no longer exist.
Tina Velasquez from Community Organizing and Family Issues noted that they have a three year partnership with Family Focus Englewood and parent leaders in a group called L.O.V.E. that includes 160 business partners, neighbors, churches and community members. She said that there is parent engagement at Reed and that they have created positive places to learn. Parents work hand-in-hand with school staff.
Tehray Hale, a graduate from Public Allies, a program where he was supervised by Michelle Obama, supports social and emotional learning needs of students. He said that Reed has built a sustainable community organization in Englewood that includes Reed, Robeson HS, and Kennedy King College and graduates remaining in the community to give back to it.
During his testimony Hale said that he wasn’t sure if Bates was familiar with Englewood, to which he quickly and snidely retorted “I drive through it every day.”
The final speaker’s registration card was missing and Bates made a big show of letting him speak despite proper procedure not being followed. After Bates’s long-winded explanation of the hearing rules, he allowed Darryl Smith, the Site Director of Reed’s Boys and Girls Club to testify. He said that Reed has produced a more positive and productive culture through their community partnerships. He said if Reed closes, the community will lose another social resource in an area “devoid of services for children.” He said closing Reed would leave children devoid of hope and that they will always doubt new, positive things in their lives because they will fear they won’t last. He said that Reed was a precious commodity, not just a building, but children. He pointed out that Boys and Girls Club keeps children off the streets between 3 and 6 pm, when most children try drugs and alcohol for the first time and either become victims of or perpetrators of violent crimes. He said based on the reputation of Englewood, instead of closing schools, we should be opening them and resources should be pouring in.
After testimony was over, the principal submitted a petition for the record, then a man named John Paul Jones raised his hand to indicate that he wanted to testify. After sending someone over to talk to Jones, Bates gave another long-winded speech about how he had discretion to “run the hearing how I see fit” and since the man didn’t sign in during the prescribed time period his testimony would not be accepted. (It was not yet 7:30, the scheduled time for the hearing to end). Bates then continued to publicly chastise Jones, and told him again that he wouldn’t allow him to speak.
The overall tone of the speakers was respectful and a little timid. They seemed afraid to speak out loudly against the phase out in comparison to other schools I have seen testify.
Hearing Notes—Best Practice High School (Phase Out)--2/4/09
ReplyDeleteI arrived at 3:30 so I missed the first half hour of the hearing, and I’m not sure how many people spoke in that time.
The hearing was sparsely attended, as all of the early hearings have been. I believe that this is due to the fact that the people being most affected by these closings, turnarounds, phase outs etc. are still working or learning at the time of the hearings.
The main arguments presented by the community members and one staff member focused on the programs offered at Best Practice and their strength as having one of the few vocational programs left in CPS.
The first speaker I heard was Leslie Recht, a representative from Alderman Fioretti’s office. She is the same woman I spoke with at Friday’s hearings who told me that she thought charter schools offered some good alternatives for families, and that some schools should just be shut down. She told the hearing officer that she was there to listen and to ask CPS to work with the alderman, principal and parents to form a support system for the students that will be affected by the phase out. She did not speak against the phase out, she only asked for cooperation between all interested parties.
Sister Gladys Carter, a community representative and parent who spoke on behalf of BP also called for community cooperation in the process, but also spoke strongly in favor of not phasing out the school. She said she was there as a “Sister,” because churches serve families and communities and the Board needs to listen to their voice. She explained that the students of BP were not at the hearing because they were still at school or at home doing homework. She said that BP needs to be able to continue to offer programs to the community because they are doing a good job. She pointed out that many of BP’s students are 17-18 years old and that they are needed to keep the city running. She said that as adults, we tell the students that “no child left behind” is real, but if we phase out BP, they will speak out when they reach voting age. She said that as a product of CPS she is able to eloquently speak because she was given a chance, and that the students of BP should also be given a chance. She concluded saying, “remember our children, give them a chance.”
Jim Vail of CORE spoke next and focused his testimony on the process of the hearings. He questioned the independence of the “independent hearing officer,” and said that not much happened last year as a result of the hearings then. He asked where the Board members were and pointed out that the hearing testimony was not available in time for the Board to have read it all to make their decisions. He said that he had spoken to congressmen and aldermen that want to pass legislation that would force CPS to study what effect “moving students like chess pieces” will have on students. Vail then addressed James Dispensa, and asked him to look at his numbers. He said that utilization is based on the number of children per room, based on 1920’s formulas that aimed to have 30 students in a classroom. He pointed out that schools today offer more services such as library and technology classes that require a separate space in schools that was not needed back in the 1920s. Vail questioned Dispensa and the hearing officer, asking if charters are not “underutilized” under these same formulas. Vail pointed out that some of the schools being closed have higher test scores than those remaining open. He began to discuss Rep. Danny Davis’s call to protest the closings when he was cut off by the hearing officer who told him to “sit down” because the information he was giving was not needed for his report back to the Board. The hearing officer then told Vail that he didn’t need to respond to him, then did by saying that someone named Rodriguez was there from the Board earlier (“Rodriguez” possibly being Board member Munana’s representative). He also told him that his reports from last year’s hearings were submitted in time for the Board members to read.
Jerald Siegal, Field Rep. for CTU spoke next. Siegal said that BP is able to offer many programs because there is more room in the building for them to do so. He said that across the city, vocational programs are disappearing and that BP is an asset to CPS because they offer them. He said that if the school is underutilized, they should be able to open their doors to more students. Keeping with the idea of the necessity for vocational programs, Siegal then said that we should be training people here (meaning the city and country) to do jobs here. College graduates are being laid off and companies are looking for skilled people to hire. He concluded saying that BP provides both education and a road to a career.
Mary McGuire from the CTU spoke next, beginning her testimony saying that she had been to several hearings and they made her think of a Mark Twain quote: “Out of the public schools lies the future of our nation.” She said she had just seen Michelle Obama on the news saying that she was thankful for public education and that it is a vehicle for people to better themselves. She spoke about Education to Careers and complimented the principal for increasing the number and scope of programs offered at BP. She said that cooperative work programs are important and vital. She also pointed out that teachers and PSRPs at BP are certified and highly qualified, while the same requirements are not made for charter schools. Instead of closing BP, they should be allowed to expand their net to attract new students to the school. She closed by asking the hearing officer to use best practice to determine the fate of this school.
James Walton, the Assistant Principal of BP opened his testimony by saying that the only requirement to attend BP is to live in Chicago. He said many students choose BP despite traveling a great distance because of the great programs, quality of instruction and programs offered and the availability of the school. He pointed out that students choose BP over their neighborhood schools and believes that BP is a “nurturing environment that gives students the opportunity to be all they can be.”
I spoke next, and talked about how small class sizes were touted at the New Schools Expo, yet neighborhood schools are being closed because they have small class sizes. I demanded a moratorium on closings, phase outs, turnarounds etc. and concluded by asking where the Board of Ed. representatives were.
The hearing officer then paraphrased a letter he had received from Danny Davis saying that Davis wrote in support of keeping BP open and closed the hearing.