Concept Charter Schools packs Chicago Lawn 'NAC' meeting
I got to the Chicago Lawn NAC late. I was there with a friend (Sarah Ann and her daughter Tarah). It was unusual in that the Neighborhood Action Council meeting was in the basement at a church that was packed with worshippers for a Novena in Spanish to the Virgen de Guadalupe. There were worshippers up to the very doors of St. Gall. There are many public schools within a mile of the site.
Once down in the basement, it was the NAC meeting. But we had to get through metal folding gates that were kept closed to get to that public meeting. It gave the vibe of seedy goings on. As we walked through, I saw CTU organizer Rebecca Martinez to my right at the back of the room talking to about half dozen charter people. One of them quickly ushered us away, toward the meeting because I hesitated. Clearly, a heated discussion was going on.
In the whole room, all I could see was a sea of blue t-shirts -- "Concept Charter." I felt uncomfortable sitting among them as they gave us looks and clearly supported Concept charters and mumbled testimony of how great their schools are. It seemed questions were screened and steered to their favor. They spoke of diversity, of the community's needs and wants, keeping culture, Concept's best practices.
Although 85% of the people signing are not residents of the area, the meeting treated them as if they should be heard. This was justified by the claim that "these are people that work or do business here and have a vested interest. .."
Norine Gunderkast, the head of the CTU Organizing Department, asked about how in the wake of school closings, do they not see they are taking our resources? The charter person stated, with a smile, that given the closings, they didn't believe they'd be having RFPs or an NAC. But given the need...
After this, I did not hear anything else. "How repulsive, disgusting, infuriating!..." I was feeling.
As if CPS's push to privatize was manna ftom heaven that just fell for them! I had to ask "Given the current situation with CPS and all the school closings is your 'best practices' not a predatory move?"
No answer and laughter from the Concept people. No real aknowledgement -- and then it was over. I was the last one to speak only because I stood up and spoke up. But there was no response. Shaking heads and laughter, but no response to a parent. A kind (yes, I am being sarcastic) Concept parent stated I was "out of order." This wasnt open forum.
I asked the Concept "leader" (I call her) afterward where their school will be, this Chicago Lawn school as I am not a resident of Chicago Lawn but close enough to know the area well. I was told that they will be recruiting from all across Chicago Lawn and busing k-2 to 79th and Western and 3-8 to 87th and Kedzie.
This is infuriating to me! Not one person on that stage was a person of the same culture as the majority of the residents of Chicago Lawn. It is one thing to build a charter in a neighborhood, but quite another to take kids from a tightly knit community and a culture you know nothing of, have no sensitivity for and now bus them all the way to another area in the name of ...well, filling your pockets with money.
It is ill thought out, ill planned, ill fated.
I don't care how many Concept parents clap and sing and dance about diversity, being happy, successful and all the other fluff. It is abhorrent, disgusting, repulsive.You are destroying communities! I am ANGRY. I am sad. I can't help but think UNO put the Hispanic community out there for the taking.CPS put the rest of us in jeopardy. Every single public school student is under attack. And it is not even thinly veiled anymore.
