Representatives from the High HOPES (Healing Over the Punishment of Expulsions and Suspensions) campaign gathered at City Hall Wednesday, calling for restorative justice practices in CPS and “ending the school-to-prison pipeline,” said Lynn Morton of the parent group POWER-PAC, a member of the campaign.
Faced with a dearth of candidates, CPS has for the second time extended the deadline to register to run in next month’s local school council elections. Candidates now have until March 23rd to file. So far, only 2,060 candidates have been recruited for more than 6,800 open seats in the April 18th elections.
A program that uses culture as the basis for literacy and arts instruction helped raise the test scores of children who participated, according to the results of a study by the educational arts non-profit Changing Worlds.
In recent weeks, both CEO Jean-Claude Brizard and Mayor Rahm Emanuel have pointed out that Chicago teachers are among the best-paid in the nation when compared to other large school districts. Brizard made that point at a Stand for Children town hall last month, and Emanuel reiterated it during an Ask Chicago video town hall on Facebook.
A coalition of local school council members filed a lawsuit Thursday to stop CPS from moving forward with its proposed school closings, phase-outs and turnarounds.
Fiske Elementary in Woodlawn is one of 13 schools that opted to introduce a longer school day beginning in September 2011. As a "pioneer," Fiske Principal Cynthia Miller and her staff were able to design their own schedule without any constraints.
In January, Chicago Public Schools will hold hearings on the proposed closing of four schools and the turnarounds of ten others. The Chicago Teachers Union and many community activists and parents oppose these efforts. A group took their concerns to the Mayor's Office on Wednesday.
