63 Comments - allknowingmasterofracoondom - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 9:34 am: Stupid statement on Rauners part. But I get why he won’t name a school. Can you imagine the backlash from the local community where ever he would name such a school? Watch what you say Mr. Gov., people are listening. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 9:39 am: ===He even said he cried when he saw those horrid conditions, so they obviously made a lasting impression on him. How about a name? It was a totally fair question. But Rauner completely dodged it.=== If you are an adult, and moved to tears at the sight of something, you reasonably should be able to remember where you were. Rauner is a phony sympathizer. Why do I say that? “Simple”… Rauner also made clear he and his wife (Rauner dragged his wife into this, I didn’t) have put “more money than anyone”… making his wealth, once again, the absolver of sins… … and the sin this time is not remembering the name of a single school that made him actually cry. Rauner is a phony, shielding that phoniness by telling you, without anyone asking, how much money he spends more than anyone. A phony sympathizer of Chicago Schools, but more than willing to clout his denied (She had perfect scores, perfect) Winnetka lining daughter over a worthy child to get her in them. Not one school… could Rauner name. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 9:43 am: ===Can you imagine the backlash from the local community where ever he would name such a school?=== This makes ZERO sense. You advocate Rauner looking foolish and disingenuous for what reason exactly? Do you not think these school know they’re in disrepair? lol - BART - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 9:44 am: The unnamed schools that made Rauner “cry” exist in the same imaginary world with Rauner’s unnamed “union friends,” the unnamed “Democrats in the legislature” who side with him against the speaker, and the phone conversation Rauner had with Madigan and Cullerton on election night. - Anon - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 9:44 am: ===But Rauner completely dodged it.=== It was the worst. Just the worst school ever seen. But folks, we’re going to have the best schools. The greatest schools. I have a plan. It’s the best plan. It’s going to make our schools the best and we’ll have great schools again. - Anon221 - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 9:49 am: Let’s go to the video… http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2016/06/08/gov-rauner-cant-name-one-crumbling-cps-school-hes-visited/ There WILL be questions when statements like Rauner’s are made. Don’t want to answer them, don’t make the statements. Simple. But then again, the rules must be different in his alternative world. - From the 'Dale to HP - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 9:49 am: I think CPS has a policy against bringing the circus to schools, but have to double check. This would make it hard for Rauner to visit obviously. - Grandson of Man - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 9:50 am: Perhaps all the crumbling schools could be found where all the businesses are that won’t relocate to Illinois, and the land of Democrats who agree with the TA but can’t vote for it because of Madigan. - Cheryl44 - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 9:51 am: I see no reason to believe anything the governor says. - Anon221 - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 9:52 am: Re the Update: good resource site- http://www.leadsafeillinois.org/ - Now What? - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 9:52 am: Again, the governor proves how in over his head he actually is. His political skills from being able to simply count votes, to being foolish enough to call Chicago schools “crumbling prisons,” then state that he’s been to “dozens of schools” that have made him cry and then can’t name one, prove his lack of leadership and skill to the reality that is in front of him. Not, as he thinks, the reality that he wishes was in front of him, of which he is a spokesperson for no one. - Illinois Bob - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 9:54 am: Sounds like a repeat of how Hizzoner Richard J Daley dealt with Martin Luther King Jr during his visit to Chicago in the mid 1960s. IIRC, in the morning MLK complained that many poor blacks in Chicago weren’t getting water, sewer, and other services to which they were entitled. Mayor Daley quickly, and publically, came out and said if the good Dr King could provide him with the names and addresses of the people to which he was referring, he’d have those services restored by the end of business that day. Of course, there was no “list”. While the statement may have been true, Dr King’s people had no evidence of cases where the problems were occurring. Dr King’s people were unprepared for this, because hadn’t been challenged like that before. When the list couldn’t be provided, it deeply undercut Dr King’s message of racism in the Daley administration. Dr King was known to have left Chicago very discouraged with the experience going up against Hizzoner. The political lesson here is don’t make verifiable claims you can’t back up… - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 9:55 am: Some schools are in good shape, others bad. idk if you can call this a sham, however. It helped raise awareness among some people at least. I knew about the asbestos, for example, but not the lead. Education is also an issue Rauner was involved in before politics. Regardless, these schools need help and these politicians need to come together on a budget, reforms, and better schools management. - Captain Illini - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 9:55 am: Okay, I’ll bite. Fine, crumbling schools is a perfect place for Rauner to employ his strategies and for Unions to play along. How? Union trades need a real re-branding, since for the most part, you hire a union plumber, electrician, HVAC, construction, etc. because they have a really good training and apprentice program that does quality work. How about a partnership that cuts out over bearing regulations related to school construction or re-habilitation contracts, with union shops offering value added bid structures that essentially allow prevailing wage with incentives for completing the project on time and within budget. CDB is the pariah of state government - ask any consultant or contractor and they will tell you the premium mark-up due to this agency. There are much better ways to get value for tax payer funds than them. Solutions governor, not sulking… - PublicServant - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 9:56 am: But, as was being discussed yesterday, look at the immediate response from the GOP. They’re geared up for a media war, because they need to snow the public for Governor Rauner’s Hostage-taking to succeed. The media war is where its at, and the Dems need to get in the game and response tit-for-tat. The Dems message is stronger. Do just decry Rauner and the GOP’s constant campaigning, obfuscation and redirection is their whole game and they know it. - Johnny Pyle Driver - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 10:00 am: It’s hard to know what to take away from some of this stuff. Asbestos is only a concern if it’s friable (able to be crumbled and released to the air). These “lead action levels” are similarly problematic. For state testing, the action level is only relevant if 10% of the samples come back with elevated levels. So at 2%, they’re still well below the level. I saw some of the tests are in the range of 100 ppb. Those seem pretty high, but 16-50 ppb as many of these samples appear to be is really nothing to cause concern. But with all the panic about lead and asbestos today, who knows what comes o fit - cdog - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 10:01 am: Is CPS on their own to mitigate? In this era of regionalization, are we downstaters expected to fund clean water for Chicago school kids? /s Please ask Rauner how this fits with his divisive and rhetorical narrative. - Louis G. Atsaves - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 10:03 am: Budlong Elementary just tested positive for lead in its water supply and is on that list. The original building taught three generations of my family (including me) and is roughly 100 years old. It is located at Foster Avenue just east of Swedish Covenant Hospital, a half block away from the old family homestead. Pat O’Connor is the Alderman. Maybe its time for those in charge to take the conditions of the CPS buildings a little more seriously, instead of howling in indignation over the governor’s comments about them? Deferred maintenance over the years is no secret. Own up to it. - Big Joe - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 10:04 am: If there was a drinking game for every time Rauner makes a phony statement that is never questioned by the media for accuracy, there wouldn’t be anyone standing in the whole state of Illinois!!! He makes Pinocchio look like a saint. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 10:07 am: - Louis G Atsaves - Maybe you could pass the name of that school to Gov. Rauner. Then… Gov. Rauner can visit… Cry… then remember the name of the school. Maybe write in the back of his hand, or a note card, maybe someone can take a picture of Rauner crying and tweet it… With the governor giving his “thumbs up”… Not one school, - Louis G Atsaves -… Not one school… - JS Mill - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 10:07 am: =Rauner is a phony, shielding that phoniness by telling you, without anyone asking, how much money he spends more than anyone. A phony sympathizer of Chicago Schools, but more than willing to clout his denied (She had perfect scores, perfect) Winnetka lining daughter over a worthy child to get her in them.= Excellent summary, hit the nail on the head. Looking at the video (tips cap to Anon221) He also has a “tell” that I am starting to pick up.. kinds of nervously clears throat…pause,,then moves on to a non-answer answer. Seems to identify when he is busted for his story telling. - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 10:11 am: To the update: smh. Kids are ingesting elevated levels of lead through the drinking water at school. And this is one of the =good= schools? smh. That would be unacceptable at a day care, a business, a friend’s place or anyplace else. - JS Mill - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 10:12 am: @CDOG- It is the local districts responsibility to deal with lead, asbestos etc. They can access fire prevention and safety fund, otherwise referred to as Health/Life Safety if they have them. Deferred maintenance is a huge issue downstate, communities would rather put a band aid on something because it is less expensive than solve the problem. I get it, but it leads to more expensive required fixes over time. It is hard to convince people to do the right thing sometimes. - Juice - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 10:13 am: It should probably be noted that there is a ton of water main work going along Logan just a couple of blocks from Brentano, since that can often lead to higher though typically temporary lead levels. - illini - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 10:13 am: Second attempt — Once again our Governor is unable to give any specific example to back up his vague. pious and self serving statements. He can’t name any schools and can’t identify the dozen or more Democrats who are supporting his agenda. Many more examples could be cited. He is good at talking to his “message” but fails on so many levels when he is called out and asked to be specific. Guess campaigning was more fun than governing! - Louis G. Atsaves - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 10:13 am: @Oswego Willy, I know you like to stalk me, but notice I began my comments with “Budlong Elementary.” (1) The name of that school. (2) Cited for lead in its water supply. - RNUG - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 10:15 am: == But with all the panic about lead and asbestos today, who knows … == - Johnny Pyle Driver - , I’m with you on this. Yes, there are risks with these materials but, in a lot of cases, the risks are grossly overstated so various lawyers can benefit from class action lawsuits. Yes, we need to understand the risks and fix the problems, but we also need the responses to be appropriate for the level of the problem. As you note / implied, asbestos comes in many forms and only some of them are a risk. Lead, especially for infants and children, should be avoided and low levels addressed but in a measured manner, not a “sky is falling” panic. Somehow we’ve come to live in a world that expects zero risk … which ain’t the real world. - Northern pike - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 10:15 am: Didn’t the state just bail out Galesburg with their lead issues? Doubt if the state will help out Chicago though. - pundent - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 10:17 am: =@Oswego Willy, I know you like to stalk me, but notice I began my comments with “Budlong Elementary.”= Thanks for speaking up on behalf of Governor Rauner Louis. Do you cry for him as well? - blue dog dem - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 10:19 am: Is this what they mean by having lead in your pencil? ( I thought a little levity might pick up moral). - Jose Abreu's next homer - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 10:21 am: Lead levels and other repairs are needed, yet the mayor and most alderman are worried about getting a Lucas monument built. Schools will have to continue to wait. - Johnny Pyle Driver - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 10:23 am: ==Lead, especially for infants and children, should be avoided and low levels addressed but in a measured manner, not a “sky is falling” panic.== Yep, i do think we need to be extra cautious when talking about children. But it’s also worth pointing out that the 15 ppb level is a very cautious standard itself. I mean, they wouldn’t set the limit at 15 ppb if 16 ppb was going to cause permanent brain damage. It’s so far below a level that should cause worry, I think we’re creating unnecessary panic when talking about Brentano at 16-55 ppb. - Whatever - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 10:23 am: ==“For those that claim to care about giving every child a quality education, . . . ” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Steven Yaffe== You mean, like those who voted for K-12 funding for FY 16? - Amalia - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 10:24 am: the issue is real, but Martwick is a real poser. - Honeybear - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 10:27 am: Our poor children. I new when Flint blew up this would find it’s way over to us. Oh, I so didn’t want this to be the case with our precious children. - anon - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 10:29 am: === the gov scrupulously avoids political stunts === Like the cage full of chickens? - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 10:31 am: Oh - Louis G Atsaves - You should read… I asked you to pass on the name to to Governor. Putting it in a comment here isn’t giving the Rauner Press Shop the info, you need to send it to THEM, lol - blue dog dem - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 10:39 am: Rich, maybe I missed it. But late Friday afternoon can you expand on the relevance of this weeks password. old Blue is stymied. - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 10:40 am: ==But I get why he won’t name a school== Some CPS officials and aldermen have already called the governor’s =racist= for his comments about CPS schools in general. If any of the schools he gave as specific examples were in minority neighborhoods, the reaction would likely be even stronger and parents of some students who attend would be upset. Just like everyone criticizes Congress but supports their local Congressman. There seems more downside than upside to calling out individual schools. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 10:48 am: - FKA - With great respect, Your premise is Rauner does ha s names but is afraid he’d be called racist? Rauner is victim of the truth of dilapidated schools he can’t name? - Springfieldish - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 10:50 am: “Deferred maintenance over the years is no secret. Own up to it.” Inadequate funding and now absent funding is no secret, Governor. But don’t worry, you don’t need Louis’ suggestion to own up to it: you already own it. - Sue - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 10:53 am: Capitol Fax should start selling CPS bottled water and provide discounts to all of you who blame Rauner for Illinois sorry state he essentially inherited. It might make all of you smarter. Hey- maybe Rauner isn’t as experienced at his job as I would like but unlike Madigan he hasn’t been enriching himself at our expense for 40 years - RNUG - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 10:58 am: == but unlike Madigan he hasn’t been enriching himself at our expense for 40 years == Actually, in the case of the State pension fund money he handled, he did enrich himself partially at state employee / retiree expense. He sure didn’t do that for free, he charged for it. - allknowingmasterofracoondom - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 11:06 am: OW - as FKA notes, he may have a school, but actually naming one may further enhance the damage of the original comment. Once a politician says something stupid, it is best not to follow up with additional stupidity. I don’t doubt Rauner has seen a CPS that looks like a prison. The crying part? I have my doubts. - allknowingmasterofracoondom - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 11:08 am: I wonder if they are testing state prisons for lead in the water? - Sue - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 11:15 am: RNUG- I appreciate that opening. Of the overall funds GTCR manages and managed- Illinois participation was insignificant. Also- GTCR returns were substantial. Compare GTCR returns to Wilhems who got virtually all of his money from Illinois with Blago’s support. If you want to compare how Madigan got rich and Rauner- think twice - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 11:19 am: If you can’t name is school, you don’t make up a story about crying. The story is a fib now… - Will Guzzardi - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 11:20 am: Don’t think the lead situation at Brentano (which, by the way, was confined to one water fountain and one washing station which were rarely used, have already been shut down, etc.) is at all disconnected from why we were there. These schools are doing awesome work with deeply inadequate resources. They need technology. They need maintenance. They need old lead pipes removed. This stuff costs money. And to propose a budget with more money for Winnetka and New Trier and a $75M cut to CPS and then say “oh I’m weeping about how bad things are there,” it makes Janus look like an amateur at being two-faced. - jeffinginchicago - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 11:38 am: I could not respond fast enough. My daughters school was one of the pilot lead testing program. That would be where I would go to look for my “crumbling prisons”. Her school is ok but I would think that the older schools (many have been there 100+ years) would be a place to look. At the same time there are some palaces. New Elementary schools on Milwaukee Avenue. Selective Enrollment high schools in all areas of the city are terrific. - Louis G. Atsaves - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 11:45 am: ===”Thanks for speaking up on behalf of Governor Rauner Louis. Do you cry for him as well?”=== and: ===”You should read… I asked you to pass on the name to to Governor. Putting it in a comment here isn’t giving the Rauner Press Shop the info, you need to send it to THEM, lol”=== Snark city around here. I have family members still attending that school, third going on fourth generation. Members of my parish (across the street at 2727 West Winona Street, Chicago, IL - St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church) have students attending there and several parishioners teach there. CPS over the years has sunk a significant amount of money into that building, along with building a new annex, yet clearly problems persist. I’m not “passing along” this information to Governor Rauner. I am not crying for him. I am stunned that Oswego WIlly would LOL this situation, but politics over safety of students rules, right Willy? So far I read about it in the Chicago Tribune, and heard it on WGN TV, WGN Radio and WBBM Radio, basically the largest media outlets in the city. It was on the regular AM news cycle and a story of this nature isn’t going to be snarked away. Budlong is one of many CPS schools listed with high lead levels in their water out of what appears to be a fraction of the schools tested to date. Again, rather than pseudo pretend howls of indignation, perhaps it is time a serious look at the conditions of school buildings where children are entrusted by their parents to attend would be in order? Rauner is more right than wrong, here. Get over it and start dealing with it. - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 12:01 pm: @OW - also intended respectfully, you pretty much nailed it. I think he hesitates to start naming individual schools himself because of the previous reaction by some. The smart money would have someone on his staff or Beth Purvis’ staff release some names as examples. I agree the administration should list some names. I just don’t think it would be beneficial for him to personally name them. Could be giving him too much credit though. - Wheaton Will - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 12:01 pm: Today it is lead in CPS drinking fountains? Wasn’t there a thread yesterday about lead paint at CPS? - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 12:14 pm: Oh - Louis G Atsaves -, “lol” ===I’m not “passing along” this information to Governor Rauner. I am not crying for him. I am stunned that Oswego WIlly would LOL this situation, but politics over safety of students rules, right Willy?=== I didn’t fib about crying at madeup CPS schools. That’s sadly “comical” What is comical is that you choose to chastise me, but won’t pass on information to the Governor. Who is, in actuality, not helping people the know… On purpose. That’s you. So, you think WGN, or “XYZ”, or IPI… It’s up to them to notify the governor? How delicious, - Louis G Atsaves -, admitted bystander. “I knew it was bad, but, I’ll let someone else let the governor know.” ===Again, rather than pseudo pretend howls of indignation, perhaps it is time a serious look at the conditions of school buildings where children are entrusted by their parents to attend would be in order? Rauner is more right than wrong, here. Get over it and start dealing with it.=== “Again, rather than pseudo pretend crying for the children at schools he can’t name, perhaps it is time a serious look at the conditions of school buildings where children are entrusted by their parents or friends of the Governor would be in order? Rauner is fibbing more than wrong, here. Get over it and start dealing with it, Governor.” Better. - Me too - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 12:25 pm: Captain, CDB doesn’t build or renovate K-12 schools. They provide grants, but it ends there. Higher Ed on the other hand… Well they have the option of going it alone with self funded projects. U of I has more red tape than the State. The real place to look is at the difference between State managed community college construction projects and self managed ones. They take half the time, and cost much less if managed by the community college, although they aren’t skilled at delivering on budget, or within a few percent. Anyway, the State’s mark-up has grown significantly since the procurement code was updated with CPOs. Thanks for playing though. - Mason born - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 12:34 pm: I’m really curious what Rauner did after crying. He has the resources most of us don’t to do something about it so what did he do? - Chicago 20 - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 12:40 pm: Lead water pipes have to go. Lead paint has to be abated. Rauner needs to fund the replacement of all lead water pipes in the state and fund for lead abatement in all public facilities. Any further delays will cause additional irreversible damage to our children. - Harry - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 12:41 pm: So they schedule a presser at Brentano to show an exemplary school, but then we learn it tested positive for lead in the water? I would be ROFLMAO at the politicians, except this means kids have been ingesting lead so it’s not funny at all. In the immortal words of Casey Stengel, “Can’t anybody here play this game?” I mean actual governance as opposed to grandstanding. - walker - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 1:07 pm: With racoon on this one. Rauner has apparently visited many CPS schools over the years, and some facilities made a terrible impression on him. I believe that. I also know his naming any of them would cause serious unnecessary damage to specific schools who are struggling to do their best with limited resources. Better to keep his concerns somewhat general, and focus on providing the resources CPS needs to fix their facilities problems. - pundent - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 1:10 pm: =Again, rather than pseudo pretend howls of indignation, perhaps it is time a serious look at the conditions of school buildings where children are entrusted by their parents to attend would be in order?= So are you saying we should go back to driving up CPS’ borrowing rates, advocating for their bankruptcy, and denying them a fair funding model? Because the cryin’ is a relatively recent development and I don’t know where it fits into the narrative. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 1:12 pm: - walker - With respect, You don’t go into such detail, emotional detail, “crying” detail, and not expect to be called on it. If Rauner can’t name one school, after “dozens” is cited, why would I believe anything Rauner says. Being afraid to say “School X made me cry”, when in unquestionable fact, “School X” is in serious repair, no matter the student body… … Yikes. It’s not racist to point out a school is in terrible shape. Rauner can’t name ONE school. Cry me a river, Rauner’s story is… cringeworthy. - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:15 pm: ==Wasn’t there a thread yesterday about lead paint at CPS?== As well as lead dust on handrails. - Ann Williams - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 4:43 pm: Dear Illinois Republican Party: For the CPS families I represent, this is about much more than just having schools open. It’s about how many children are in a classroom. It’s about whether science, art and music are available. It’s about ensuring that the needs of special education students are met. It’s about a safe and healthy school learning environment. It’s about the support services necessary for children who need extra help. It’s about principals being able to focus on education rather how to do so much more with so much less…year after year. It’s about investing in our kids, our neighborhood schools and our communities. Letting the biggest school district in the state languish is not governing. This is not about winning some PR or political game. So please stop the rhetoric and take a look around. Look and see the dedicated principals, committed teachers, engaged parent communities and amazing kids of CPS. It’s up to us, their elected representatives to fight for them. And I - along with other members of the Chicago delegation - will continue to do whatever I can to ensure that all Illinois’ schools receive the funds necessary not just to open their doors, but to thrive. Please join us. - Plutocrat03 - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 6:48 pm: Our poor children…. But in this case, there are no republicans to blame. Predictably some here seem to be accepting of lead in the water the students drink. Seems to me that the goal needs to get the levels closer to zero, rather than argue that the status quo is ok. As far as asbestos, simple cleaning operations on floor tiles can mobilize the asbestos in floor tiles, physical contact with the asbestos containing pipe insulation can cause the release of asbestos particles. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.