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Tone down the rhetoric and look at the facts

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Nine out of ten of the Chicago Public School students potentially affected by school closings this year are black, a Chicago Sun-Times analysis has found, a discovery one community activist called a “lawsuit waiting to happen.”

Of those 129 schools located mostly on the South and West sides, 117 are majority black. And 119 of them have a percentage of black students higher than thedistrict average. At the 129 schools on CPS CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett’s list of schools that could be closed this year, 88 percent of the students are black.

Schools with at least 90 percent black students account for 103 of the 129. Just nine are majority Hispanic.

The racial breakdown of the schools that could be closed is not in line with the overall demographics of the district. Across the city, 41.7 percent of CPS students are African American, 8.8 percent are white and 44.1 percent are Hispanic. The rest are Asian, Native American or members of other racial groups.

* Will Caskey blew a gasket when he read that story. Caskey, who lives in the city and has a young child, was furious at the paper’s analysis.

First, Caskey points out that since Chicago is still largely racially segregated, any given area that changes population tends to do so within one race, for instance…

On September 30, 2000 the CPS racial survey found 226,600 black students (52 percent), 152,031 Hispanic students (35 percent) and 41,890 white students (9.6 percent). As of October 10, 2012, the same survey found 163,595 black students (40.5 percent), 180,274 Hispanic students (44.7 percent), and 36,415 white students (9 percent). That is to say, black enrollment declined by 63,005 (27.8 percent), white enrollment declined by 5,475 (13 percent) and Hispanic enrollment increased by 28,243 (18.5 percent). Overall enrollment declined by 34,157 (437,618 to 403,461).

* He continues…

(T)he Sun-Times’ conclusion (“The racial breakdown of the schools that could be closed is not in line with the overall demographics of the district.”) is nonsense. The closure criteria are not made in reference to the isolated enrollment in Chicago right now. They were made because population shifts left a lot of schools underutilized (and a lot of schools overcrowded). This distinction is, of course, lost on the Sun-Times, probably because crack journalism like looking at the U.S. Census web site is lost on them:

Indeed, the district claims the city has lost 145,000 children from 2000 to 2010, though school enrollment dropped by about 30,000 during the same decade. CPS cannot explain the disparity in the numbers.

Okay Sun Times, let me explain it. Per the 2010 census, there are 621,630 residents in Chicago under 18. Per the 2000 census, there were 844,298. That’s a decline of 222,668 residents under 18. Concurrently there was a CPS enrollment decline of 34,157. That means relative to change in total population under 18. CPS enrollment is actually doing great: in 2000 51.8 percent of residents under 18 were enrolled in CPS, whereas now 64.9 percent are. I know, math is hard. Maybe you should have paid more attention in school.

* The Sun-Times followed up today with a kinda/sorta walkback, presented as a he said/she said story…

Nine out of 10 Chicago Public School students potentially impacted by school closings are African-American because their neighborhoods suffered population losses, Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Thursday.

One day after a community activist branded the disproportionate impact on black students a “lawsuit waiting to happen,” Emanuel renewed his commitment to forge ahead with a politically explosive decision that Chicago has avoided for a decade.

“There has been a big change in the city over the last decade … and we need to make sure that our schools are reflective of the change in our city,” the mayor said.

“We have postponed this. It’s actually a postponement that’s adversely affected our children’s education. Now, we need to deal with it in a very sensitive way, in a compassionate way, but achieve the goal, like the longer school day, to give all our children a high-quality, valuable education so they can have a future that is worthy of those children.”

* In other Chicago school-related news, the UNO schools have agreed to allow a union. From a press release…

Chicago ACTS, UNO Announce Agreement Guaranteeing Charter Educators the Free Choice to Form a Union

Chicago—Today the Chicago Alliance of Charter School Teachers and Staff (Chicago ACTS) and the UNO charter organization announced an agreement that guarantees educators and staff at UNO schools the free choice to form a union. With 13 schools in Chicago, this agreement guarantees more than 300 educators the right to choose to unionize without fear of retaliation. More than 5,000 children attend UNO schools in Chicago.

“With this agreement, UNO teachers have the freedom to join with hundreds of other charter school teachers across Chicago who are using their collective voice to speak out for their profession and their students, said Chicago ACTS President Brian Harris. “Almost four years ago, my co-workers and I formed the first charter school teachers union in Chicago. We are united in the relentless pursuit of quality for our schools, and we are encouraged that UNO teachers now have the freedom to join with us to advocate on behalf of teachers, our students and our schools.”

More info here.

* Related…

* Emanuel regrets Quinn’s education budget cuts

* Editorial: Close schools over two years, not one

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Mar 8, 13 @ 10:51 am

Comments

This is the same paper that took a look at crime stats on the CTA and blew that all out of proportion too.

Comment by Cheryl44 Friday, Mar 8, 13 @ 10:54 am
When I went to J-School back in the day, there wasn’t even a math requirement. Look what happens.

Comment by Ray del Camino Friday, Mar 8, 13 @ 11:14 am
I saw yesterday’s headline and knew it was a mess without even reading the story. The Sun-Times has had a bad week.

Earlier in the week, they claimed that Chicago’s current murder rate is “unprecedented.”

Not even close, as two minutes on the google would reveal and as anybody who’s been around for a few years just knows.

Need to tighten up the editing standards. More wise eyes on the copy that know the city and it’s history a little better. Math, too.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Mar 8, 13 @ 11:18 am
And they just raised the price of the paper to a buck. I guess a buck doesn’t buy much nowadays.

Comment by PublicServant Friday, Mar 8, 13 @ 11:22 am
“Chicago’s current murder rate is “unprecedented.”

Not even close, as two minutes on the google would reveal and as anybody who’s been around for a few years just knows.”

But that’s the zetigeist, Word. Violence in Chicago is “out of control”. But if anyone brings up that homicides in 2012 were *still* ~40% below early 90s peaks, and the rate was *still* much lower, that might call the meme into question.

Yes. Too much shooting. Yes. Too many dead. But this is only ‘unprecedented’ if one’s memory is as short as the little wannabe bangers doing so much of the shooting.

Comment by Chris Friday, Mar 8, 13 @ 11:23 am
School closings and district boundaries are the most political of decisions in Chicago. There is an elementary school in Lincoln Park (Abe Lincoln school) that is facing serious overcrowding. It is 65& Caucasian, making it one of the whitest of schools in Chicago. Right now, its teacher to student ratio is 1:30.

If it was located in nearly any other neighborhood, the boundaries would be narrowed to alleviate the overcrowding. But not in Lincoln Park, becuase no one wants to have to send their kids to another public school nearby. And homeowners would see their property values fall just because they are no longer in Lincoln school’s boundaries.

Same with Bell school on the north side. New housing units have been built west of Western Ave and those homes were marketed as being in Bell school. A newer housing development across the river is trying desperately to be added to Bell’s district.

Good public schools are few and far between in Chicago. Where they exist, property values increase and people fight like mad to get their kids in and keep them in.

School district politics like this ain’t beanbag and every Alderman is running scared. This is one reason Mayor Daley wouldn’t touch the issue with a ten foot pole.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Mar 8, 13 @ 11:46 am
One of the issues concerning Chicago school closings is the CPS’ proposed ideal class size of 30 students for Kindergarten through eighth grade.

What class size is considered ideal in the schools where the Chicago Mayor and school board send their children and grandchildren?

What class size is considered ideal in the schools where Chicago suburban parents send their children and grandchildren?

Much less than 30.

Comment by Ruby Friday, Mar 8, 13 @ 11:55 am
–But that’s the zetigeist, Word. Violence in Chicago is “out of control”. But if anyone brings up that homicides in 2012 were *still* ~40% below early 90s peaks, and the rate was *still* much lower, that might call the meme into question.–

As an aside, picked up a Red Eye at lunch, and they report that there were 14 homicides in Chicago in February, the lowest monthly total since January 1957.

Obviously, one month does not a trend, or even a blip, make, but them’s the facts and they are welcome in this discussion to counter the overheated, uninformed rhetoric.

Red Eye really does a great job on this issue. They track every homicide and break them down by month, community, gender, age, race and cause of death.

They’re running circles around everyone else. Well done.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Mar 8, 13 @ 12:41 pm
Too many people at the trimmed down Sun-Times seem to be working two or more jobs to keep the ship afloat. I am not surprised that there math is sometimes off. Nonetheless, how can anyone be upset or surprised that school closings are affecting black majority schools more?

Numerically, these students are a substantial percentage of those enrolled at the CPS and some of the neighborhood schools in poverty stricken areas of the South and West Sides have seen many former residents pack up and move away. New schools were built to meet the needs of the local population, schools that are set for closing oftentimes reflect the fact that families have moved out. The same holds true for churches and private schools. There are many former synagogues on the West Side, but no one would argue that the buildings must remain open if their are no congregants nearby. It costs too much to keep a school building operating for only a handful of students.

On a different educational subject, all hell seems to be breaking lose at Chicago State University again. Big meeting on campus today concerning the controversial university president.

Comment by Esquire Friday, Mar 8, 13 @ 12:41 pm
Ah yes, the “why don’t you send your OWN kids to public schools huh TOUGH GUY” canard. And it might make sense, if every CPS parent paid UChicago lab school tuition (25K/annum, per their website). It wouldn’t make logical or philosophical sense, but it would at least address the question of funding v. class size and why can’t CPS be like the mayor’s kids’ school.

As it is CPS has a limited funding pool to work with, and a cap in annual property tax increases. So, its class size targets are somewhat different.

Comment by Will Caskey Friday, Mar 8, 13 @ 12:45 pm
47, some really good, rubber-meets-the-road facts there. Much obliged.

At UNO, I take from the link the teachers are interested in forming their own union, not joining CTU?

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Mar 8, 13 @ 1:02 pm
-so, its class size targets are somewhat different.
1/30 is about average in

Comment by Arthur Andersen Friday, Mar 8, 13 @ 1:53 pm
Except in the case of extremely poor units of government we are going to see the lessening of intergovernmental transfers. Neither the Feds nor most financially pinched states can afford to support relatively well off local governments, and school districts. It is going to be sink or swim for many.

Comment by wishbone Friday, Mar 8, 13 @ 2:05 pm
wishbone-

With the lessening of intergovernmental transfers should come lessening of rules and mandates, no? We may hear less complaints about proposals like Madigan’s if in the same breath we heard that the local entity would assume a proportionate amount of the responsibility. All we ever hear is that the locals must pay more, but the State maintains control.

Comment by Cincinnatus Friday, Mar 8, 13 @ 2:13 pm
Word-

Per state law, charter teachers are barred from joining CTU.

Comment by Chi Friday, Mar 8, 13 @ 2:52 pm
“With the lessening of intergovernmental transfers should come lessening of rules and mandates, no?”

I think that is probably true. No carrot, no stick.

Comment by wishbone Friday, Mar 8, 13 @ 2:59 pm
First to Wordslinger’s comment on UNO teachers and the Chicago Teachers Union. 105 ILCS 5/27A-7 (a)(11) requires that charter school teachers not be in the CTU. It reads as follows: “An explanation of the relationship that will
exist between the charter school and its employees, including evidence that the terms and conditions of employment have been addressed with affected employees and their recognized representative, if any. However, a bargaining unit of charter school employees shall be separate and distinct from any bargaining units formed from employees of a school district in which the charter school is located.”

I think I explained this before to Rich some months ago in a post.

Now as to the race issue and school closings in Chicago. There is no question that the population decline in the City has impacted the Black community more than any other community. All the census data shows this.

But the high number of schools proposed to possibly be closed in communities that are exclusively African American are seen in those communities as part of a process of abandonment, in effect writing off those communities. In meeting after meeting CPS held in Chicago over the proposaled closings community members and teachers shouted down CPS officals.

Aldermen and other elected from these communities are distancing themselves from these closures and desperately trying not to offend Mayor Emanuel at the same time for political reasons. When these closing are added to the murder issues often in the same communities faced with school closures we have a ticking bomb ready to blow.

There are demographic statistics and then there are people who view the actions of governmental officals based on the reality of the situations they find themselves in.

Comment by Rod Friday, Mar 8, 13 @ 3:15 pm
–Per state law, charter teachers are barred from joining CTU.–

No stuff? Did not know that. Thank you. I wonder why, lol.

Are the federales cool with that? Barring a group from joining a particular union?

Well, there certainly will be some new revenue streams for insurance, benefits, etc., union officers, etc.

Remember, folks, Charter Schools are on the taxpayer dime. You just have to hustle a lot harder to see where you’re money’s going.

But if you’re smart enough, there are some obvious places to start looking.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Mar 8, 13 @ 4:11 pm
Papers are a joke now days and the Sun times is terrible. The sports page is ok and beyond that its just slanted garbage. Trib much the same. Sad what has happened.

Comment by Fed up Friday, Mar 8, 13 @ 4:54 pm
It is not true that charter employees cannot join the CTU. That would violate the 1st amendment. Charter employees can choose whatever union to join that they want. The law simply says that they can’t be in the CTU bargaining unit, but that’s not the same as being a member of the union. That said, for now at least, there is a separately chartered AFT local that organizes and represents charter employees, Local 4343 the Chicago Alliance of Charter Teachers and Staff.

Comment by Ess_Dog Tuesday, Mar 12, 13 @ 1:36 pm