Cut-off nose spites face: never keep kids out of school

"600 Words by Esther J. Cepeda"

There is such a thing as going too far to prove a point.

Take, for instance, the Reverend – and Illinois State Senator – James Meeks’ misguided idea to protest school funding disparity by pledging to keep "several thousand" Chicago Public School students from the first day of school September 2 – also known as the most important attendance day for calculating federal funding – to travel all the way north to tiny Winnetka and enroll the kids at Sunset Ridge Elementary.

It’s merely symbolic, of course. In the suburbs of Chicago, kids living outside district boundary lines aren’t allowed to register for classes – even families who live next door to houses sitting within boundary lines get no slack. But symbols have power and the ones I see have more potential to harm the students involved than to help.

It’s an understandably pained response to yet another community disappointment: Chicago public school officials postponed the opening of a new elementary school on the city's Southwest Side because there were 40 fewer students enrolled than the 100 kids they needed.

But let’s just say the good folks at Sunset Ridge welcomed the crowd with open arms. How would those kids feel spending hours every day getting bused 20-30 miles one-way clear across the city just to get to school?

And once there, is it possible that the superior instruction that comes with small class sizes and about twice the CPS resources will translate into higher achievement for the kids even though many of them carry the sort of social and familial baggage completely foreign to families who live in Winnetka?

Because don’t misunderstand: there are some people who would freak out, but they’re probably outnumbered by a load of well-heeled young North Shore parents with a do-gooder attitude who are wringing their hands because their children don’t have diversity in their classrooms. I know plenty of them and they probably wouldn’t mind this cultural exchange.

But let’s be real. It is never, never, never a good idea to use children as political pawns in that amounts to a publicity war which stands to have many casualties, not the least of whom are the kids themselves.

Unless this is a pure political publicity stunt – in which case I’d say he’s sick – Meeks’ heart is in the right place. He should absolutely be infuriated that his community’s kids are being left behind. And, sure, school funding in the state of Illinois – as in many other states – creates big-time haves and have-nots but no one has ever found a better alternative. Notably, Hawaii – one of the only school districts in the U.S. that does not use property tax funds – also happens to sport one of the worst report cards in the nation.

Yes, Meeks should be mad as hell and not take it anymore. Something dramatic needs to change; we need to start valuing the next generation and proving it by providing a baseline decent education. But his crusade should seek to do no more harm than what has already been done.

Meeks: do what you gotta do, but leave the kiddies out of it.

Esther J. Cepeda writes the "600 Words" & "Pregunta del Dia" columns, and is also the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. Her views and reporting do not necessarily reflect those of ISAC. "600 words" is a registered trademark of EeJayCee, Inc., Copyright 2008. May be reprinted with permission, contact eejaycee@600words.com

Comments

[servando aguayo]

esther...first i agree with all the comments made so far...good thoughts good suggestions...i like the last one best...but lets be for real...the ed system of this city (and the rest of the country)is one of the worst in world if you compare it with other 1st world countries and even 2nd worlds...throwing money at it does not cure the illness...but it has been said plenty of times the problem is threefold: 1)parents; 2) the structure; 3) the village... there was a time when these used to work with another, but the parents have lost control of their children (no discipline); the structure has lost control of its students (no discipline and lousy teachers and conditions); the village just lost interest...we're in a sinking ship...how is it that china at the present according to ted kopel is educating all its children on two main subjects; english and computer scince...they also have morning excersises as a student body...but that could never happen here because the structure is too delicate to mandate certain behavior/dress code etc...from their students...'cause mom and pa will bitch about it and get a lawyer...well you know the rest...so in the end let the rev. call for whatever action he wants and his flock can sing all the songs they want...'cause it aint going to change a thing...
"There is such a thing as going too far to prove a point."

[Rick]

Reverend Meeks should sell a few of his luxury automobiles, and his mink coat, to fund this event, rather than rip off the poor taxpayers who don't seem to have a voice in government affairs these days.

Meeks makes a good case for vouchers, but as usual, his proclivity to violate the law rules him out as a roll model for the children.

I believe the CPS has more than enough funding. If you dispute this, just go the their Pershing Road warehouse and look at the millions of dollars of merchandise sitting idle, bought with tax dollars just to spend money so the CPS doesn't lose it's following years funding.

The Reverend Meeks is just looking to scam the tax payers of Illinois again. He ought to be ashamed of himself, he is not fit to hold public office, and he is not fit to speak for the benefit of the children.

If Meeks was really interested in the welfare of our children, he would work with the other useless eaters in Springfield to abolish the corruption in government, and spend only what is necessary to run the system... period.

[frank bowers]

Esther, what is the problem with the CPS kids and why are they not attending school up there on the first day?
Frank Bowers down in Austin, TX SAYING KEEP THEM PEARLY WHITES UP FRONT WITH BIG SMILE.

[pau1ke11y]

Esther: I agree with you 100 percent. We need to fix educational funding in Illinois. Meeks should have picked a different publicity stunt than this one. If Meeks were smart, he would call a new press conference, with all the same folks plus Arne Duncan, calling for a rally in Springfield on Labor Day, Sept. 1, to try to get more school funding. Then on Tuesday, Sept. 2, he should be leading the parade for the drive to get all CPS kids to get into class the first day. That way, he can use the publicity that he has already garnered and turn it into a positive for the CPS kids.