It’s just a bill
Tuesday, May 4, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Sun-Times editorial board demands that Mayor Lightfoot commit Statehouse political suicide by throwing everything she’s got against an elected school board…
One person must be accountable to recruit superb new leaders. One person must be in charge. That one person should be the city’s elected chief executive, the mayor.
Yeah, well, into every life a little rain must fall.
* Capitol News Illinois…
The Catholic Conference of Illinois is lobbying against proposed tax changes for the 2022 fiscal year that would reduce an income tax credit gained for donations to private scholarships.
In a letter released Tuesday, Cardinal Blase Cupich of the Archdiocese of Chicago joined bishops representing the state’s other five dioceses – administrative districts under the Catholic Church – asking Catholics to call their local legislators and ask them to oppose the measure put forward by Gov. JB Pritzker, which they called “an important matter of public policy and social justice.”
* NPR Illinois…
Illinoisans convicted of a drug felony would still be able to access cash welfare assistance under a measure approved by the Illinois House last week.
The proposal marks the fifth attempt State Rep. Mary Flowers (D-Chicago) has made to open Temporary Assistance for Needy Families welfare benefits for Illinoisans with drug felony records. But last week’s vote was the first time the idea actually passed out of the House.
Flowers said recent changes in state drug policy, particularly Illinois’ legalization of recreational marijuana in 2019, convinced her the time was right to try again.
- NIU Grad - Tuesday, May 4, 21 @ 12:40 pm:
“recruit superb new leaders”
Yea, that’s worked out great so far.
I still stand by my position that a Mayor of Chicago is better off without having to deal with micromanaging the school board. If you believe CTU’s demands are unreasonable…have them run candidates and try to actually implement them. Why deal with the constant battles yourself?
- Southern Skeptic - Tuesday, May 4, 21 @ 12:43 pm:
Sun-Times is correct. This is going to be a nightmare with no accountability and school politics put on steroids. But that’s not gonna stop this freight train.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 4, 21 @ 12:47 pm:
=== Sun-Times is correct. This is going to be a nightmare with no accountability and school politics put on steroids.===
Elections are accountability… elections have consequences
- Simple Simon - Tuesday, May 4, 21 @ 12:49 pm:
One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them…
- Mason born - Tuesday, May 4, 21 @ 1:00 pm:
I’m curious as to the accountability parents actually get from a Mayor. It seems there are a lot of factors at play in a mayoral election crime, municipal finances, city pensions, etc. seems like CPS would be one of many issues. However you vote on School board tends to focus on well the school.
- Ghost of Albert Hirschman - Tuesday, May 4, 21 @ 1:16 pm:
Given Chicago’s past with accountability , it’s understandable why some would be tepid about going to a fully elected school board. Public education has been largely a failure in school districts with more than 10,000 pupils. However, it’s hard to argue why the suburbs can have an elected school board but Chicago can’t.
- Third Reading - Tuesday, May 4, 21 @ 1:40 pm:
I was about to advocate for mayors being put in charge of all school districts and then I thought of Jim Langfelter running District 186.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, May 4, 21 @ 2:28 pm:
=an important matter of public policy and social justice.=
an important matter for the pocket book of private schools.
You want to be private that is just fine but you should not expect public support, if you do then abide by the same rules.
- don the legend - Tuesday, May 4, 21 @ 3:05 pm:
==I was about to advocate for mayors being put in charge of all school districts and then I thought of Jim Langfelter running District 186.==
If you’re going to insult someone at least spell their name correctly.
- Third Reading - Tuesday, May 4, 21 @ 3:18 pm:
Don, it’s intentional. Thanks for noticing.
- TheInvisibleMan - Tuesday, May 4, 21 @ 3:29 pm:
– representing the state’s other five dioceses –
Someone should do a quick google search on recent news out of any of those diocese. Specifically the joliet diocese.
Not a great time to be complaining about tax breaks.
- levivotedforjudy - Tuesday, May 4, 21 @ 3:52 pm:
Does anyone remember ancient history when Secry of Education Bill Bennett called CPS the worst in the nation and Pate and Lee dumped in on Mayor Daley? CPS has been making progress ever since then. The numbers are there. I grew up in a district where the board was elected. It was nepotism on steroids. Be careful what you ask for.
- School Guy - Tuesday, May 4, 21 @ 9:38 pm:
==Not a great time to be complaining about tax breaks.==
Private schools in Illinois save taxpayers (and the budget) hundreds of millions of dollars per year. The Tax Credit Scholarship was negotiated as part of a statewide school funding deal. Reducing it is the wrong thing to do. Supporting private schools supports jobs, taxpayers, and most importantly, kids.
- TheInvisibleMan - Tuesday, May 4, 21 @ 10:49 pm:
– and most importantly, kids. –
Yeah, you might want to do that suggested google search.
- EssentialStateEmployeeFromChatham - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 8:17 am:
==I was about to advocate for mayors being put in charge of all school districts and then I thought of Jim Langfelter running District 186.==
District 186 is not the only school district within the current Springfield city limits. Due to all the annexations, new developments and subdivisions, etc., the city of Springfield has in the last 50-60 years extended to parts of the Ball-Chatham (Glenwood), Rochester, Riverton, Pleasant Plains, and New Berlin school districts. All in areas that were just rural farmlands or undeveloped when the current school district boundaries were established in the late 1940s/early 50s.
- Saluki 1964 - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 2:13 pm:
Aren’t all the other public school districts electing their school board and it works? Does Chicago Public School District have a superintendent? That’s who works with the school boards in other districts and when the taxpayers don’t like something, they vote out the school board. Asking seriously, what’s the matter with this model of selecting school board members for Chicago?