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School closings

As CPS prepares to close a record number of schools, the fate of students and communities is in question.

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Catalyst Notebook

Friday, April 5, 2013 - 8:18am

In the News: Emanuel stands by Byrd-Bennett's response

By: Cassandra West
Tags: Barbara Byrd-Bennett, Rahm Emanuel, school closings

Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Thursday he is “100 percent hand-in-glove” with Schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett, who “spoke eloquently” in rejecting the notion that racism is behind the announced school closings. (Sun-Times)

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Thursday, April 4, 2013 - 5:26pm

Lawmakers tour schools slated to close

By: Sarah Karp
Tags: school closings

As he walked along the path from one West Side school building that is slated for closure to one that will stay open, Congressman Bobby Rush ducked into an abandoned building with its windows and doors gaping open.

Congressman Danny Davis remarked, “I bet you there are people living in there.”

“It is easy for sex offenders to snatch kids up and drag them into the building,” said Shakeena Sturgen, who has an eight-year-old and seven-year-old at Delano in West Garfield Park.

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Thursday, April 4, 2013 - 8:37am

In the News: Byrd-Bennett disavows racism charges

Chicago Public Schools chief Barbara Byrd-Bennett on Wednesday took umbrage at critics who have called the district's plan to close more than 50 schools racist because most are in predominantly African-American neighborhoods.

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Wednesday, April 3, 2013 - 4:52pm

Overhaul for preschool applications

By: Rebecca Harris
Tags: early childhood education

CPS hasn’t announced yet which schools will be able to keep offering preschool programs in the fall. But the announcement is likely coming soon, because the district has launched a new centralized enrollment process that will ask families who want their children to attend preschool programs in CPS schools to apply by May 3.
 

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Wednesday, April 3, 2013 - 7:55am

In the News: Two sides emerge on closings

By: Cassandra West
Tags: school closings

About a dozen members of the Business Leadership Council, an association of high-level, well-connected African-American business executives, delivered a letter to Mayor Rahm Emanuel in support of the school closures announced recently by CPS, which are taking place mostly at schools serving black children. At the same time, a group of mostly African American parents are calling on Emanuel to try out the often dangerous routes between the schools that Chicago Public Schools officials aim to close and the schools where their children will be sent instead. (Sun-Times)

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Tuesday, April 2, 2013 - 7:14am

In the News: Demand for charters a big unknown

Charter advocates and the Chicago Tribune editorial board say 19,000 kids are on charter school waiting lists in the city, but a WBEZ analysis found that the figure counts applications, not students, meaning if a student applies to four schools, he or she is counted four times. It includes kids who have turned down charter seats and are now enrolled in other schools.

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