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* 2:42 pm - There seems to be some confusion about how many kids are participating in today’s Chicago Public School boycott. But this report from ABC is absolutely incorrect…
ABC7 counted about 80 buses at Meek’s House of Hope church from which most of the students were supposed to be leaving. It appears only about 20 of those buses carried any people of 5-10 people each. The other buses were empty.
* The AP says the total is at least a thousand students…
More than 1,000 Chicago public school students boycotted the first day of classes Tuesday in a protest over school funding and instead rode buses more than 30 miles north to try to enroll in a wealthy suburban district.
* CBS 2 puts it lower…
CBS 2’s Dorothy Tucker estimated that a total of about 700 students and 300 parents made it to the Northfield freshman campus at New Trier.
* Sen. Meeks told me a while ago (my Internet was down so I couldn’t post) that he believed 1,000 students and 1,000 parents made the trip - an estimate backed up by another attendee I spoke with.
Meeks called again a few moments ago to say that New Trier counted 2,500 students.
* But Meeks, himself, may be the cause of the reporters’ apparent confusion…
After arriving at the row of microphones and some opening remarks [Meeks] said that he is always a “friend of the media” but in the end would not disclose the number of participants in boycott. He did say that he was pleased with the showing of support so far and pointed out that there are eight other churches involved in the boycott.
When Pioneer Press asked him how many student boycotters there were today he avoided the question saying “you have cameras” and gestured behind him to his crowd of selected supporters.
When Pioneer Press asked him to estimate and asked him where it fell on a scale of 100-500, he would not answer. “You print 100 and I will say 3,000 and we will see who is right,” he said.
* Meeks had some other stuff to say as well…
“We’re actually shining the light on this – you live in a poor district, the district that you live in is under-resourced, and then the law traps you in that district by saying that there’s absolutely no way you can escape because you don’t live in this district,” Meeks said. “That’s a system of apartheid.”
* As did others…
“We are being forced to get an inadequate education and that’s not fair. We ain’t missing nothing by one day,” DeNeal said. “We need to say something and they need to hear us and we’re making noise today.”
* Mayor Daley and Todd Stroger chimed in…
Meanwhile, also on the South Side, Mayor Richard Daley blasted Meeks, accusing him of using children for political purposes by leading a boycott of the first day of classes at Chicago Public Schools.
“It’s very selfish,” the mayor said at the opening of a new school on the South Side. “It does not serve anyone.”"
Cook County Board President Todd Stroger also attended the opening of the Sir Miles Davis Academy, 6740 S. Paulina St., and agreed with Daley’s criticism of the boycott.
“The students should be in school,” Stroger said.
* More Daley…
“It’s very selfish. Children have to be in school and if they’re not in school the first day, don’t blame the teacher. You should not use children dealing with a political issue of all Democrats in Springfield that can’t make up their mind. It’s as simple as that.”
Tuesday, June 10, 2008 | 4:58 PM: Chicago Public School students attended a rally at Soldier Field along with hundreds of faculty members and teachers to send a strong message to Springfield for more state funding.
In a press release, the district said the rally was organized by students. But ABC7 learned that the adults - school administrators and politicians - were the ones who made the rally happen and controlled the message that was targeted for Springfield.
At least half the time the event had the feel of a concert and the estimated 30,000 Chicago Public School students who missed a day of school appeared to enjoy the music more than the speeches.
But Mayor Daley wasn’t worried about appearances, calling the “Shout Out for Schools Rally” the “largest civics lesson in Chicago’s history.” [emphasis added]
* Board of Education President Rufus Williams was also at that June rally..
“Year after year, we go to Springfield to ask for more money, we go to Springfield for tougher gun laws. . . . Year after year we are told, ‘We’ll do what we can,’ ” Board of Education President Rufus Williams said.
* But Williams was singing a different tune this week…
Chicago Public Schools officials such as Board of Education President Rufus Williams lambasted the boycott and urged students to “boycott the boycott.”
* Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, who is mulling a run for governor, tried to turn the tables on Gov. Blagojevich today…
Giannoulias said the boycott could have been avoided if only Blagojevich had accepted an invitation to discuss Meeks’ proposed $120 million school funding compromise at last week’s Democratic National Convention in Denver.
“Unfortunately, because of Gov. Blagojevich’s complete lack of leadership in not coming to the table [the boycott went ahead]. Sen. Meeks got the speaker of the House and the Senate President to the table. [But] Gov. Blagojevich decided it wasn’t important enough for whatever reason. That is extremely disconcerting to me. Now, Sen. Meeks is left in a bind,” Giannoulias said.
* But Daley was having none of that…
“I wouldn’t say that. Come on. Complete lack of leadership? No. He’s done some good things. Yes, he has. Let’s be realistic and talk about those…Now this is a major issue that confronts us and they have to deal with it,” Daley said.
* And the Winnetka paper sums up the scene…
If a massive media spectacle is what State Sen. James Meeks, D-13, wanted — for the record, it was. He got exactly that when he came to Northfield.
Before even one bus arrived at New Trier High School’s Northfield campus on Tuesday, scores of reporters equipped with notepads, iPod recorders and bulky satellite video transmitters packed the parking lot, baking in the 85 degree sun and waiting for the demonstrators to pull up. […]
he media frenzy only got thicker when the first six buses pulled in around 11 a.m. By the time the students and adults climbed off the bus into the path of quote-hungry reporters, the parking lot west of the high school grew to a blur of orange T-shirts that said “Save Our Schools Now” and fuzzy microphones hanging from rods.
So far, the plan to draw attention to the issue of school funding was working. […]
Any demonstrator wishing to speak up had his or her pick of reporters.
It’s all about the coverage - for various reasons, including some personal political stuff - not the attendance.
* Video…
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 2:42 pm
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Pretty upsetting that none of our state legislators up here on the north shore are around to stick up for us and to stop this charade from going on.
Last I checked they represented Winnetka, not the democratic party or their own political careers.
Comment by shore Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 2:55 pm
A boycott’s ultimate success is determined by the numbers. Period. 700 students? That’s a boycott? There are more truants on any given day.
Comment by David Ormsby Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 2:59 pm
Who more so than the children should care about their education and fairness to it? I doubt that any child there was forced and dragged on to that bus. They were there to show they care about what affects them personally.
–”“I wouldn’t say that. Come on. Complete lack of leadership? No. He’s done some good things. Yes, he has. Let’s be realistic and talk about those…” —yeah, of course. I just had a gentleman on another blog inform me that Blago was all but leading us into the ‘Promised Land’ with much better things to come for Illinois.
Comment by Princess [name change] Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 2:59 pm
David, a boycott’s “ultimate success” is determined by the end results, not the numbers in the boycott.
One person boycotted the back seat of a bus. Etc.
Not equating the two things, just showing you that your logic is off.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 3:04 pm
Shore- they are counting on this thing to blow over after a couple of days. Now if the students showed up every day util a stalemate was broken…
Princess- If I were a student at CPS, a nice bus ride to the north burbs would be more fun than a day at class. I remember a few stunts that we pulled in my south suburban HS district back in the day, for far less righteous causes.
Rich - I agree, results are everything. Not sure on the effectiveness of this one yet.
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 3:14 pm
===Not sure on the effectiveness of this one yet.===
Agreed.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 3:17 pm
Daley has a definite pot/kettle thing going, especially since he held the same kids up as a reason for the children’s museum to go into Grant Park.
Comment by Anon from BB Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 3:25 pm
I wonder why there is a discrepancy over the numbers who attended this boycott today?
Comment by Levois Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 3:35 pm
Good for Meeks. He couldn’t have put the brakes on it after setting the wheels in motion without looking like a total dumkopf. Somebody has to bring attention to the problem - would have been nicer if he had more political allies from across the board with him. But it’s a start.
And Rich, good point re: Daley’s June rally. Hizzoner Hypocrisy strikes again!
Comment by Bill S. Preston, Esq. Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 3:36 pm
The buses started arriving around 11 a.m. Doesn’t the school day start a wee bit earlier than that? I know this was only for show, but if the point was that they wanted their kids to get a New Trier education then they should have been in the parking lot by the opening bell.
Comment by Bluefish Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 3:51 pm
Here is a dumb question.
Are these kids not out of school for summer break by June? I know the article says
“the estimated 30,000 Chicago Public School students who missed a day of school”
If your on summer break already, your not missing a day of school. Someone correct me on this.
Comment by Speaking At Will Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 3:56 pm
Bluefish, the object was to try to enroll the kids, not put them in class today.
Yes, it’s a stunt, but at least try to follow the story line.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 3:57 pm
Speaking At Will, try the Google first. It’s really quite simple.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 3:59 pm
This, from New Trier Supt. Linda Yonke, who is terrific >>
Dear parents, students and staff,
Reverend Meeks and the last of the Chicago students have departed Northfield and are headed for Harms Woods Forest Preserve for a rally.
The first buses arrived around 11:15 a.m. and the last buses departed about 2:30. Approximately 1,100 elementary students and 150 high school students submitted registration materials. Sunset Ridge and New Trier staff will go through all of the materials and will contact the families by mail or phone.
The Chicago students, parents and chaperones could not have been more pleasant and cooperative. The New Trier and Sunset Ridge staffs were assisted by administrators and other staff from each of the sender elementary districts and NSSED, and every worker greeted each family with warmth and courtesy. Parents’ Associations from Sunset Ridge and New Trier donated snacks and cookies for the visitors. Our Physical Plant Services staff did a wonderful job of set-up, traffic control, parking, and crowd management. The cafeteria staff cheerfully prepared snacks and lunch for all the workers. Northfield and Winnetka police helped with logistics, security and traffic control. A special thanks to the Northfield administration for their organization and hard work in putting it all together.
Thank you to everyone on the staff who helped and to the parents and students who were such gracious hosts. New Trier High School student attendance was actually higher than normal today on both campuses, and we accomplished our goal of providing a normal school day to students, with just a few adjustments to the typical schedule at Northfield.
Thanks to everyone for your suggestions, encouragement, and support in the past weeks. Here’s hoping the rest of the year is boringly normal!
Linda Yonke
Comment by Mr. Cub Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 4:05 pm
The biggest problem with meeks message, its not about race, its about poverty. The decision to fund or not fund is not being made because of the race of the children, its being based on the finacial resources of the communties the schools are located in. Now it does have a disparate impact on minorities, but there are a numbeer of very porr schools down State as well.
It would be nice to see Meeks and others focus discussion on all the underfunded schools that need help, not just the ones in cook county.
Comment by Ghost Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 4:06 pm
“try the Google first. It’s really quite simple.”
Thanks for the tip.
Comment by Speaking At Will Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 4:21 pm
Ghost “It would be nice to see Meeks and others focus discussion on all the underfunded schools that need help, not just the ones in cook county. ”
Rich’s articles last Friday stated Meeks was propsing/requesting a review of 12 high schools both Chicago the subs, and downstate. I think Sen Meeks is sincere about equal funding and opportunity.
Comment by Princess [name change] Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 4:27 pm
The real problem is Rich and his media cohorts are using this story to avoid the dimise of the person who may be about to break TOm Eagleton’s record for shortest time as a VEEP nominee….Come on Rich let’s back to the ambush!
The real question for Meeks is why he did not take 200 kids to the same school Blaggo’s little darlings occupy!
Comment by WeDontNeedNoStinkinVetting Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 4:53 pm
===Come on Rich let’s back to the ambush!===
Let’s not. There’s too much already. We don’t need to add to it.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 4:55 pm
Rich, appreciate you calling out Daley regarding his blatant hypocrisy. The reasons are quite simple:
1) He’s rarely taken to task for his sanctimony, at least not publicly, and there’s little, if any evidence to suggest that anyone in the administration or city council has challenged him behind closed doors.
2) Meeks’ boycott is costing the CPS, and by proxy, his administration, federal $$$. No doubt he’ll point the finger outward and manufacture this into yet another reason the city’s $420 million in the hole.
3) Daley wrested control of CPS from the state in 1995, and has little to show for it except bloated property tax bills. While it’s too early to determine the result of the Meeks-led boycott, there’s no doubt it has been more effective than anything Daley has done to help the school system. A bit of jealousy, perhaps?
Comment by The Doc Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 4:58 pm
But it is fascinating.
My bet: Unless something even worse comes out very soon, she’ll give a heckuva speech in front of millions of viewers and things will get back to some semblance of normal.
But it sure is fun to watch, from a safe distance.
Back to the topic, please.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 4:58 pm
To be fair, Rich, first day of school and the last week/day of classes is a little different.
I believe those kids probably learned a whole lot more about civics in one day on this field trip than one day at school would have taught them.
Just wish it wasn’t the first day of school. So many other issues are involved just because it was the first day. The biggest of which is the wind it took out of CPS’s big back-to-school campaign, which is very important in a city with a chronic “late arriver” problem (parents not bringing their kids to school until a few weeks in).
Comment by GoBearsss Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 5:05 pm
Aren’t there final exams and papers due the last week of school?
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 5:14 pm
This wasn’t a bad idea, but what next. When it gets down to who pays, well, who? Even if Blago and the Legislature wanted to produce a huge increase in school funding, or even the pilot project monies requested by Rev Meeks, is the money there to be had or are we looking at, sigh, tax increases on the middle class. Looks like under either Obama or McCain, we will see middle class federal tax cuts. But will we in Illinois see those likely tax cuts disappear into a state tax increase? Seems like that’s where we could be heading, at a time when most of us can ill afford it.
Comment by Cassandra Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 5:31 pm
Rich, If the kids and parents had originated and organized and executed the boycott and registration independently, then 700 students–like one determined lady on a bus–would be a powerful number and message. But Meeks’ sponsored boycott implied organizational prowess, and 700 ain’t prowess from paster with a mega-size congregation.
Comment by David Ormsby Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 5:35 pm
1) It wasn’t 700.
2) My point was that the end is what really matters, not today’s numbers.
3) I’m not sure how you can call a staged media event a failure when every media outlet within 60 miles showed up.
4) Unless the media spins it as a dismal attendance (and why would they with Daley claiming it’s an abomination?) then it’s not dismal.
5) You made the point from the beginning, based on a false report of 50-100 attendees, that the boycott fizzled. When that number was proved wrong, you stuck with your original analysis. Not sure why.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 5:43 pm
“Aren’t there final exams and papers due the last week of school? “
Not anywhere I know.
Usually, those are done at the end of May/first week in June.
Last week of school is usually (week of July 9-14 this year), is wrap-up, report card pickup, and teacher in-service days.
Many schools had Monday (9/9) or Tuesday (9/10) as their last official day of classes, then had teacher in-service days or other “reserve” days (in case of snow days) during the middle of the week, and then had students come back on Friday for report card pickup.
Comment by GoBearsss Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 5:51 pm
“3) I’m not sure how you can call a staged media event a failure when every media outlet within 60 miles showed up. ”
Rich, I am sure you could think of a few examples (LOL).
Comment by GoBearsss Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 5:53 pm
===Rich, I am sure you could think of a few examples (LOL).===
True. Inelegantly written. My bad.
3) I’m not sure how you can call a staged media event a failure when every media outlet within 60 miles showed up and offered reasonably positive and balanced coverage, considering the hot-button topic and hizzoner’s temper tantrum.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 5:55 pm
1) At 100, 700, or the 1000 students that Meeks claims, when his congregation is 24,000 and CPS has 425,000 kids, whatever portion of the student body appeared at New Trier in that range is hardly a blip on CPS’ radar screen. As an organized boycott, by the numbers, that is dismal; so, I stick to that analysis.
2) The media hasn’t been awed be the numbers, but have indeed feasted on the Mayor’s reaction. Point, Meeks.
3) Media outlet attendance and reporting on a boycott–outstanding. Point, Meeks.
4) The end game–more dough for schools–that matters–agreed. Meeks gets no point yet.
Comment by David Ormsby Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 6:07 pm
Ugh.
So now that you’ve told these kids that their schools are terrible, and that they’re getting a lousy education at them, why should they go back to school tomorrow?
Lost in all this, is that many, thousands, of CPS kids every year overcome the disadvantages of their environment and become great high school students, college students and productive members of society.
I will remind the Rev./Sen. Meeks he’s in the majority of a Democratic General Assembly with a Democratic governor. Call the bill. This is not 1966 Birmingham or Selma.
I saw over the weekend he questioned why Illinois is racist. The likely next president of the United States might be a bit surprised by that question.
His goal might be admirable but his tactics are self-serving. This isn’t about school funding. It’s about who’s the next King of the South Side. You don’t need Martin Luther King tactics when you have Emil Jones power.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 9:15 pm
It’s obvious that the strategy (boycott, attempts at enrolling out-of-district kids, education (as discussed below), tactics designed to attract media attention, etc.) is very diverse. I’d argue, however, that the greatest benefit in everything they’re doing–though it is a LONGER-term solution–is probably grounded IN PART in the following quote from the 9/2 Trib article:
“…students will receive four hours of Montessori-based education both on the buses and when they reach their destination. He said they want children to know what a well-funded school system looks like.”
THAT, supplemented with teaching kids about what EFFECTIVE action (even day-to-day stuff like improving the quality of your neighborhood to attract new buyers and $$ into the community) can be taken to “turnaround” a poorly-funded school is going to eventually resolve the problem.
Based on the quotes, everyone seems to recognize the problem and would like to resolve it. One approach to consider:
-Urge volunteers from across the State to come together to develop programs similar to the “Montessori-style” program mentioned.
-Develop programs for both well- and poorly-funded school districts that discuss how both Models could possibly be tweaked to meet common Goals and Objectives.
-Teach our kids to THINK about the problem and position them to come up with a solution in the future–just in case WE fail.
Yes, it’ll cost $$, but if we can deliver great results in part through VOLUNTEER work that is the backbone of great programs like Junior Achievement, Boys Scouts, Girl Scouts, etc., we SHOULD be able to do something about this issue on a primarily volunteer basis as well.
Longer-term approach, but it has a better chance of leading to a lasting solution AND it’s going to avoid the potential frustration these kids are going to face when they’re enrollment is rejected.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 9:28 pm
And while we’re at it, perhaps our major papers can have a role in these Programs as well, by helping disseminate Program information–and results–to all of our communities. Who knows? That might actually truly engage people and sell some papers again.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 9:41 pm
School spokeswoman Laura Blair told me later in the afternoon, after registrations were counted that 800 students from Chicago registered for elementary school and 150 registered for high school.
Tom Robb
Journal and Topics Newspapers
Comment by Tom Tuesday, Sep 2, 08 @ 11:30 pm
CPS may genuinely be concerned about attendance because of its relation to General State Aid. Meeks’ group reminded us that state school funding is partially based on the average of the Best 3 Months Average Daily Attendance (B3MADA). Attendance is measured by the actual number of children who show up each day. Historically, attendance is highest during the first three months of school and then declines. October is usually the highest month of attendance followed by September or November.
In allocating General State Aid, the foundation amount ($5959 this year) is multiplied by the average of the B3MADAs of the most recent three years (usually). Higher B3MADA equals more money. CPS attendance during the 2007-2008 school year, despite all of the incentive programs, dropped to its lowest level in recent years to 89.1 percent. The B3MADA also decreased for the year. The increase in General State Aid CPS receives this fiscal year 2009, is due to the increase in the foundation level from $5734 in FY2008 to $5959 for FY2009. Had CPS’ 2007-08 B3MADA simply been at the same level as it was in 2006-07, CPS would have been entitled to an additional $15,433,810 this school year. Attendance matters.
The Mayor and others did not have to worry that keeping children out of school in the spring would hurt funding because the system had already seen the best three months of attendance months before. It’s about the money.
Comment by csp Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 1:26 am
they are attempting to register two weeks after school started in new trier.
Comment by fed up Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 8:17 am
with respects to the Red Hot Chili Peppers….
(O GOOD GOD, HEAVEN ALMIGHTY, [the board of education] set to murder [our schools],
We’ve got a cataclismic situation developing someone get down here now!!…)
….
I know you can’t stradle the atmosphere
A tiny storm in your teacup girl
I know you can’t battle the masses dear A tiny storm in your teacup girl
(O o no its getting worse, wrose by the minute we’re down here in divison in mystery someone send for back up!!)
Comment by Ghost Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 8:25 am
Didn’t the mayor “use” children concerning the Childrens Museum at Grant Park. Something to the effect of “the local residents don’t want African-American children to come into their neighborhood.” I am surprised that Arne Duncan has gotten such a pass for being at the head of such an inefficient operation.
Comment by James the Intolerant Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 8:30 am
This was about generating discussion on the issue. It was on Drudge, all the local media outlets…mission accomplished (in part). The first step to change is lettign people know what the problem is.
I bet once those CPS students/parents see some of the ridiculously huge houses the North Shore residents live in, a call for equal housing may be next.
Comment by Wumpus Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 8:43 am