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Hearings on Carpenter show communities are divided with Ogden community bad mouthing north side general high schools

Garth Liebhaber and Kristine Mayle - March 22, 2009

[Editor's Note: Since the beginning of the 2009 hearings on school closings, consolidations, phase outs and reconstitutions on January 26, 2009, Substance has been provided with the "briefing book" at each of the hearings. This was done in response to a request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and affirmed at each of the 24 hearings in January and February 2009 by Deputy Chief of Staff David Pickens. The same thing was done during and after the hearings in January and February 2008.

By 6:30 p.m., more than 130 people were at the hearing on the Board of Education's proposal to place the "Ogden International High School" in the Carpenter Elementary School building while Carpenter is slowly "phased out." Above, Holmes Elementary School teacher librarian Lara Krejca speaks in support of Carpenter while some of the members of the large audience (including Substance reporter and CORE member Garth Liebhaber, second from right) listen. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.It was therefore surprising that officials of the Chicago Board of Education's "Office of New Schools" refused to provide the book utilized by the hearing officer and New Schools spokesman Jennifer Husbands following the hearing on Carpenter on March 20, 2009. There has been no explanation as to why some of the 2009 hearings have been conducted by the Chicago Board of Education and its Chief Executive Officer and others by the "Office of New Schools" under authority which has not been defined either in hearings quickly held during February 2009 on the "turnaround" proposals for Johnson, Bethune, and other schools, or during March 2009 on the "New Schools" proposals that are now being done to schools that are being slated for "phase out" and other forms of closing (including Carpenter and South Chicago elementary schools).

Earlier in this set of hearings, CPS officials also claimed that there was no 'court reporter' so that no transcript of the hearing was available.

The March 20 hearing was different from the hearings that had taken place in January and February. In the earlier hearings, the position of the Board of Education was presented by a staff member who stated the position of the Chief Executive Officer, and then legal materials provided by the Board's Law Department. At the Carpenter hearing and others in March, the entire event was under the auspices of the "Office of New Schools." Above, New Schools "Senior Manager" Jannifer Husbands (whose annual salary is $105,000 per year, according to Board of Education budget documents) reads the position of the Office of New Schools on the opening of the so-called Ogden International High School. New Schools staff ignored the existence of available vacant school buildings nearer to Ogden than Carpenter, but the lines of authority for the "hearings" were never made clear. Behind Husbands is hearing officer Michael Melendez. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt. However, at each of the current set of hearings, the Office of New Schools had a staff member (in the case of the March 20 hearing, a lady who identified herself as Whitney Spalding, taking exact computer notes during the testimony. Because of the refusal by officials of the Office of New Schools to provide these materials in a timely manner, Substance has made the request to the Office of Communications and bases the following report on notes taken by Substance reporters and members of CORE during the March 20 hearing.

We are confident, however, that no transcript of the notes taken by public employees from the Office of New Schools will be made available to members of the Chicago Board of Education prior to their vote on the Carpenter and other "New Schools" proposals at their regular monthly meeting on March 25, 2009. George N. Schmidt, editor, Substance].

Maria walks away after trying to speak and failing to continue because of tears for the demise of Carpenter Elementary School. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.The Chicago Public Schools hearing on the proposed plan to establish "Ogden International High School" inside the present Carpenter Elementary School building took place on Friday, March 20, 2009 5:30-8:00 p.m. The hearing, which was officially sponsored by the CPS "Office of New Schools," filled the hearing room with more than 130 people, of whom dozens signed up to speak and spoke. The hearing was held at a City of Chicago facility at 1615 W. Chicago Ave., located in the old Goldblatts Department Store building.

Two very different Chicago communities were represented at the hearing.

Parents and others from the Ogden Elementary School (located at the corner of State Street and Walton in the heart of Chicago's Gold Coast community) were in an unpleasant confrontation with parents, students, and teachers from the Carpenter community, which is still mostly working class and largely Puerto Rican. The hearing was not held at either of the two schools, but one mile west of Carpenter. Many observers noted that based on the adult speakers, the Ogden community has a blatant sense of entitlement in their attitude toward Carpenter.

Pre-hearing rally

In a Pre Hearing Rally, about 30-40 students, parents, and their supporters from the Carpenter community marched over from their school to the City of Chicago community center at 1615 West Chicago. The arrived around 5:30 p.m., which was also the time that people were allowed to sign up to speak on the proposal, which was to establish the "Ogden International High School" at the Carpenter Elementary School building at 1250 W. Erie St.

Parents and students from Carpenter Elementary School had walked the mile from the school to the hearing and then picketed outside before the hearing began. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.The proposal is supposed to be on the agenda for the Chicago Board of Education's meeting to be held on March 25, and a copy of the Board Report outlining the proposal was contained in the "Briefing Book" prepared by the Office of New Schools.

Office of New Schools official Jaime Guzman refused to provide Substance with a copy of the briefing book after the hearing ended, despite a procedure that had begun during the hearings on school closings, consolidations, phase outs, and turnarounds during January and February 2009. A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted by Substance editor George N. Schmidt to CPS after the hearing. "I saw the Board Report in the New Schools briefing book," said Schmidt. "When the Carpenter people say this is a 'Done Deal,' they are obviously telling the truth. The Office of New Schools has already prepared the Board Report, even though the hearing hadn't yet begun. I'm sure it will be on the official agenda for the March 25 meeting." The agenda will be ready on March 23 as required by law.

A Carpenter Elementary School student who identified herself as "Maria" (above, center) tried to speak about the impact the closing of her school would have on her, her family, and her friends, but began crying about halfway into her presentation. To Maria's right (above left) are "New Schools" manager Jennifer Husbands (who presented the scripted "New Schools" presentation on the project) and hearing officer Michael Melendez. Seated in the front row were a number of students from Carpenter and students from Holmes Elementary School who came to the hearing from the South Side in support of Carpenter. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.Before the hearing began, a picket was held outside.

While Carpenter students held signs that said "Honk if you support Carpenter," many cars on Chicago Ave. honked in support. Many of the families supporting Carpenter noted that they are in the third generation attending the school. Three men were also outside the building, with contemptous looks on their faces towards the Carpenter community.

"Independent hearing officer" begins the hearing hearing from the "Office of New Schools"

At 6:00 p.m. Michael G. Melendez introduced himself as the independent hearing officer. He was asked after the hearing about the law firm he works for, and he replied that he works for himself; he is not associated with a law firm. He said that additional statements may be faxed to (773) 553-1559. This is the CPS Office of Schools number, not the office of a law firm.

“This is going to be a long one,” said Jennifer Husbands, of the CPS Office of New Schools, to hearing officer Melendez.

Jennifer Husbands read a statement from Office of New Schools, which the Office of New Schools (as noted above) refused to provide to Substance after the hearing was completed.

Husbands said that the decision to put the Ogden International High School (OIHS) inside Carpenter had been made after “rigorous review process.” She stated that there would be an OIHS lottery for Carpenter area, and that 50 percent of the new school population would come from the Carpenter attendance area. She said that after that a second lottery would be held for remaining fifty percent. (It was later pointed out by one of the speakers that the Board of Education had voted to change the Carpenter attendance area recently to exclude most of the children currently eligible to attend Carpenter).

"CPS is committed to more small schools,” Husbands continued.

Carpenter Principal Aida Muñoz (above) presented evidence that contrary to the Board's claim that Carpenter is "underutilized", the school is in fact overcrowded. Muñoz is holding a floor plan which she presented to the hearing officer demonstrating the factual basis for her analysis. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.She also said that the CPS Department of Demographics and Planning had established criteria for a “shared facility..” which would provide extras for the Carpenter building. Husbands is a senior official in the Office of New Schools, listed this year as a "Senior Manager" at an annual salary of $105,000 according to the October 2008 Chicago Board of Education Position File.

When is a small school not a "Small School"? Carpenter principal challenges CPS claims

CPS claims Carpenter school is "underenrolled." According to Husbands, Carpenter has 316 current students in a building which she said has a "capacity" of 1380. A discussion with Carpenter’s Chicago Teachers Union delegate and other testimony revealed that this number does not take into consideration Ogden Middle School occupancy, reduced class sizes of the special education students (Teachable Mentally Handicapped students and others), or the utilization of classroom space for other purposes (for art, music, etc.).

Husbands said that on March 25th, the board will vote to approve the proposal, even though the hearing had not begun.

She stated that the hearing would begin with a representative of each of the two schools.

First, a representative of Carpenter was allowed to make a statement.

Carpenter Principal Aida Munoz talked about how CPS numbers on underenrollment were not realistic or accurate. She said they assume a per room capacity of 32 students. However, the special education rooms are limited by law to having only eight students per room. This brings the actual current building occupancy to 113 percent. Instead of being "underutilized," as CPS has claimed, Carpenter is overcrowded.

Carpenter parent Jessica Contreras told how the community had changed during the years she has lived near Carpenter, and how she was disappointed that the school was being taken away from her and her children just when the community had become safe. To the right in the above photograph are more than a dozen of the 25 to 30 children, most from Carpenter, who attended the hearing and participated in the marches and vigil before and after the hearing. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.Munoz added that a factor is the school’s legal obligation toward special education students’ Individual Education Plan (IEP). She said that teachers had been trained in the past two years on how to comply with the federal consent decree governing special education services (the "Corey H" decision currently under the oversight of a federal monitor). Munoz said that $64, 000 was spent in the last two years on teacher training to fulfill Corey H. compliance requirements.

Ogden assistant principal expounds on plans for a "global" high school

Next, a representative from Ogden school was allowed to make a statement about the proposed high school. Assistant Principal of the new school -- calling itself "Ogden International High School" -- spoke at length. He referenced the word ‘global’ a lot. “Ogden International High School will have a global attitude to developlanguage skills,” he said. “Ogden Middle School has already developed partnerships with many organizations, Aegis Society to promote global education,” he said.

“OIHS will also include neighborhood kids,” he told the audience.

“OIHS will have an all encompassing environment,” he stated, adding that the “excitement about this is palpable... globally trained...master their language...we want to welcome diversity...students apply, just an application, lottery. Carpenter students will be given chance as their first choice...This is exciting.”

Later, more than one speaker pointed out that the majority Carpenter Elementary students already speak two or more languages.

Ogden parent Sal Lombardo (above, in orange sweater) told the hearing that some of the discussion has mischaracterized Ogden as a wealthy school. He said that the wealthy residents of the Gold Coast, where Ogden is located, send their children to Latin or Frances Parker schools (both of which are private), and that the people of Ogden are the same as those at Carpenter. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.Nobody mentioned the fact that the oldest and most successful "global" high school program in Chicago -- the Lincoln Park High School International Baccalaureate (IB) program -- has already been in existence for more than a quarter century within a short drive of Ogden Elementary School. Lincoln Park High School is at Armitage and Orchard streets. Throughout the presentation from Ogden, Lincoln Park High School was never mentioned as more and more Ogden parents, teachers and students stated that there were "no options" for their children and disparaged many of the other CPS high schools in the area, especially Wells High School a few blocks from the site of the hearing.

Public comment time begins with Ogden parents

The first speaker for public comment identified himself as Sal Lombardo (Ogden): “ It is not fair to sensationalize this decision..." he said, noting that many of the protests had claimed that Ogden families were form the wealthiest community in Chicago, the Gold Coast. "We are not rich.." he went on. "I’m in real estate and only made $17,000 last year...I wish this beautiful outpouring could happen more and more... We are not here to push anyone out... this is not political or economical.”

Ogden parent Robin Moore (above) told the hearing, "Our options are limited..." when children do not qualify for the most elite of the academic magnet college prep high schools on the city's north side. The Ogden parents and staff were steered by the Chicago Board of Education's Office of New School (and perhaps their own biases) towards individual boutique schools solutions. Simultaneously, they were steered away from responsibility for the greater problems facing the city's high schools, under policies that were perfected by the Duncan administration. Ignoring or denigrating the city's general high schools (and many of the selective enrollment high schools south of Roosevelt Road), the Ogden presentation reflected the tone of civic debate prior to the recent collapse of the world's financial markets. Whether the general questioning of the highly individualized version of community that had become prevalent until recently has reached Ogden was not obvious on March 20, 2009. The claim that there were "no public high schools" for Ogden's children was to be repeated many times by Ogden parents and students as the hearing progressed. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.A second Ogden parent, Robin Moore, said that she had a child at Ogden Middle School, which is presently located inside the Carpenter School. Moore said that some from the Ogden 8th grade were "not at Walter Payton intelligence..." and stated that for those students "high school options are limited."

"This is a viable high school option," she said, and then thanked Carpenter for having welcomed the middle school since it began operating inside Carpenter in September 2007.

A third Ogden parent, Stephen Bennet, said that his daughter Sage is enrolled in Ogden and soon another daughter Lily will be. Bennett said that Ogden has been a “great experience..." but then repeated the Ogden refrain that there were not enough "high school options" for the Ogden children. "We desperately need more high schools in Chicago," Bennett said. "North Side College Prep had 6,000 applicants but only 300 students were admitted" he said. Ignoring a number of the selective enrollment high schools on the city's north side and all of those on the city's west and south sides, Bennett continued. Where are we to go?"

Ogden parent Steven Bennett (above) spoke as if there were no high schools on Chicago's north side except Walter Payton and North Side College Prep. Citing the statistic that there had been "6,000 applications" for Northside College Prep but that "only 300 students had been accepted," Bennett said that in his opinion, Ogden International High School was not pushing Carpenter out of the Carpenter building. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.He concuded that It is a false idea that Ogden is pushing Carpenter out..." Like the other Ogden speakers, he had nothing but kind things to say about the hospitality Ogden students had received since they first began going to school by bus in the Carpenter building two years ago.

Carpenter parents and leaders respond

Jessica Contreras (Carpenter) responded to the claim that there are not enough high schools on the north side: “We don’t need a high school," she said pointing out that in addition to the general high schools the neighborhood has three charters. "There’s your Ogden option..." Contreras continued. She then went over what would happen to the students who were being denied future admittance to Carpenter, and to those who would be pushed out: CPS will be allowing gang violence to happen, she said. "I was born and raised here. I have seen the neighborhood when it was really bad and am always concerned about gangs."

Carpenter Local School Council member Jane Fleming (above, center) told the hearing officer that she believed that the proposal and the hearings were in violation of state law (which required that the hearings be noticed a week in advance) and federal law (both regarding desegregation and the rights of the disabled). Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.Countering the claims of the Ogden speakers, she said: "My children do feel Ogden is kicking them out..”

The next speaker was Jane Fleming (a member of the Carpenter Local School Council (LSC) and Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education).

Fleming began by noting the legal irregularities with the hearing itself.

“Only three days public notice was given for this hearing," she said, "while legally seven days are required before the hearing, and seven days are needed before the board meeting (March 25th)." Echoing statements that have been heard about decisions mandated from the Office of New Schools for years, Fleming said that people have been told "It’s a done deal!"

She said that the substance of hearings are not important to the Board of Education, which won't even have the full report of this hearing when it votes next Wednesday. She said that CPS is redrawing the Carpenter attendance boundaries -- "excluding even kids from across the street!"

She also noted that she considers the phasing out of Carpenter "a purposeful violation of the desegregation consent decree" (which requires a study showing the impact on desegregation of such a change. "Where’s the study?" she asked.

Finally, she noted in contradiction to those who were claiming that the plan was an efficient use of scarce resources that the high school conversion will also cost a lot of money.

Ogden parent John Bradshaw, above, said that his daughter had been welcomed at Carpenter two years earlier, when the Ogden middle school was begun. But, Bradshaw said, "cost control and asset utilization" required that the Board of Education take steps such as the one proposed. Standing in line waiting to speak on the right (above) is Carpenter parent Maria Hernandez, who has been one of the leaders of the protests. When she spoke, Hernandez asked why Ogden had not asked that "asset utilization" be applied to the new high school by demanding that the Board of Educaton place the Ogden high school inside the Near North high school building, which is currently not in use as a high school and which is closer to Ogden than Carpenter. None of the Ogden parents who spoke addressed the nearby buildings that could have been available to Ogden high school, instead emphasizing that Carpenter was where the Ogden high school should be. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt. John Bradshaw, who identified himself as being from the Ogden LSC said: “There are two issues, save Carpenter or expand Ogden." He said he sent note to Ogden principal to fully support high school. Bradshaw stated that "Ogden has invested a lot of money in the middle school..." abnd "these are difficult and trying times...”

Carpenter continues

Maria Hernandez. a Carpenter parent who has been leading many of the protests, told the hearing that she has three children at Carpenter. "There are better options for Ogden’s high school," Hernandez noted. She asked why Ogden wasn't using the Near North Community High School building, which is currently empty and is only eight blocks from Ogden. She asked why CS wasn't making available the Mulligan Elementary School building (1855 N. Sheffield), which is only 13 blocks from Ogden. Hernandez noted that CPS has vacant school buildings closer to Ogden than Carpenter, but nobody has explained why they can't be used for the new Ogden International High School instead of Carpenter.

University of Illinois Professor Pauline Lipman, above center, gave the hearing officer a major report showing that the termination of schools like Carpenter was based on real estate, not educational, considerations. Lipman and her colleagues have been responsible for a growing body of peer-reviewed research which flatly contradicts five years of CPS claims about the "Renaissance 2010" program and the work of the CPS Office of New Schools. The research work of Lipman and her colleagues, particularly Rico Gutstein (who also addressed the hearing) is easily accessed on the Web. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.She also noted that nearby Lozano Elementary School has two buildings, one of which could easily be used by OIHS -- and it is a brand new building. "CPS has sabotaged Carpenter," Hernandez continued. CPS is responsible for the fact that Carpenter does not have more students today. "You hav taken bus services from our children" and refused to allow many children who wanted to attend Carpenter to go to Carpenter.

Finally, she noted that the problems of putting high school age students into an elementary building are already known in the community. Two years ago, Arne Duncan created problems at Moos Elementary School when the ASPIRA charter high school (Mirta Ramirez) was re-located into in the same building as Moos, which is west of Carpenter on California Ave.

"I ask you to reconsider this decision,” Hernandez concluded.

Pauline Lipman (Professor of Educational Policies at the University of Illinois at Chicago) spoke next.

She began by challenging the Board of Education claim that it has a policy supporting "small schools." “We have a Small School in Carpenter..." Lipman pointed out.

She also challenged the claim that an "international" approach was needed. "Carpenter is already an international school," she continued. "53 percent of Carpenter students speak two languages."

Lipman then cited the results of a study she has authored ananlyzing the closings and openings under the CPS "New Schools" policy. "This is frankly a real estate deal... it is the takeover of a neighborhood school..” she said.

The next speaker on behalf of Carpenter was Lara Krejca. Kerjca noted that she had just gone through what Carpenter was still experiencing, the attempted closing of her school (in this case, by "turnaround"). She said that Holmes Elmentary School teachers were supporting Carpenter. “I know what these Carpenter students are going through..." Krejca told he hearing, "my school was recently supposed to be ‘turned around’ but we were taken off the hit list at the last minute before the February 25 Board of Education meeting. "Smaller class sizes work," she continued, noting that under the Board of Education's contradictory "underutilization" policy a school that reduced class sizes and utilized rooms for 15 or 20 children instead of 28 or 32 children would be declared "underutilized" and slated for closing or phase out.

The next speaker on behalf of Carpenter was one of the two reporters on this story, Garth Liebhaber.

Rico Gutstein (who is also a professor at UIC) was more blunt than many: “This is a land grab," Gutstein said. "It is not good for the neighborhood."

Gutstein then put the Carpenter-Ogden question into a different "globalization" perspective: "Does ‘global knowledge’ include having empathy for the Carpenter kids?" he asked. Noting that the kind of globalization represented at the hearing smacked of colonialism and racial paternalism, he noted: "if we don’t understand how other people see the world we aren't really learning anything about globalization...”

Some of Ogden's clout comes center stage

Former Cook County Clerk Stanley Kusper, above left, introduced himself as president of the Ogden Local School Council and described what he felt were the benefits of the new Ogden International High School. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.Gutstein was followed by a man who would have been a familiar face to anyone who paid attention to Chicago politics and clout a decade or more earlier: Stanley Kusper.

Kusper introduced himself as the "President of the Ogden LSC and spoke vehemently in support of the Ogden International High School. “We didn’t want Carpenter pushed out," Kusper said. "But the location is great... it is a perfect location for us...”

CORE teachers continue critique of Renaissance 2010 and 'New Schools'

Carol Caref (a teacher at Chicago Vocational High School and member of CORE, the Caucus of Rank-and-File Educators) followed Kusper. “You (Ogden parents) are being used," Caref said. "You have an opportunity to say to the board, 'do not destroy Carpenter.'" Caref, speaking directly to the Ogden parents and students scattered among the more than 130 people in the room, suggested that Ogden take the floor at the March 25 Board of Education meeting and urge the Board to allow Carpenter to continue and find another location for the Ogden high school.

Kwame Pitts, a parent, spoke next in support of Carpenter. Pitts recounted how a year earlier, one of her children was attending Irving Park Middle School when it was shut down (for "underutilization") in order to make way for what is now the "Disney II" magnet elementary school in the wealthy Old Irving Park community on the city's Northwest Side.

Jackson Potter (above, left) a teacher at Social Justice High School (a small school within Little Village High School) was one of eight teachers from all over Chicago who spoke out in favor of Carpenter and against the proposal to open Ogden International High School inside the Carpenter building. Potter is one of the founders of CORE (the Caucus Of Rank-and-file Educators) which has organized much of the recent opposition to and testimony about the negative effects of Renaissance 2010. The March 2009 hearings were all attended by CORE people, but not by representatives of Chicago Teachers Union President Marilyn Stewart. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt. “I had children at Irving Park Middle school, but we were pushed out to make Disney II," Pitts said. She added that parents need an opportunity for a high school... (but) Ogden needs to say ‘no’ to the plan to destroy Carpenter. EVERYONE deserves a quality education...”

Several students spoke next. Destiny (a student from Holmes in support of Carpenter) said: “... I know how it feels...” She told the hearing that when Holmes was facing "turnaround" everyone in the school felt bad. Alejandra (a Carpenter student) told the hearing: “I’ve been a student at Carpenter since pre-school... Ogden is pushing out our kids...all of the kids are feeling the same way... making a hole in our hearts...”

Jackson Potter (CORE, a teacher at Social Justice High School) urged Ogden to join with CORE and Carpenter: “it’s not true you (Ogden) doesn’t have a choice...someone does decide...it is in your power and control... I understand your desire for a high school... I encourage you, if you are genuine, join Carpenter, go to the Board and demand another school... let’s combine our forces...”

Kristine Mayle, one of the reporters for this story, spoke after Potter. Mayle said that she was a member of CORE, at teaches special education at DeLaCruz elementary school, which is being closed by CPS this June. "This is a pattern of CPS..." she said. Citing the examples of her own school and South Chicago Elementary School on the other side of town, Mayle continued: "They target small effective schools" on the pretext that they are 'underutilized. "Ogden, this is a ‘teachable moment’," Mayle continued, "a person from Ogden said earlier, ‘People want this’, but I have to say; these people don’t want this.”

Two days before the Carpenter/Ogden hearing, Chicago Vocational high school math teacher Carol Caref (above, right) had been at a memorial service for a CVCA student -- Lee Ivory Miller, 15 -- who had been shot dead after school on Monday, March 16. Caref was one of the general high school teachers who were offended by the attitude of the Ogden parents and teachers, who spoke about schools like Wells as "failing schools" and acted as if the problems of Chicago were not their concern. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.Maria ________ (a student at Carpenter) talked about how "phasing out" a school damaged families. “...No Child Left Behind is supposed to be for us," she said, "but you’re leaving every kid at Carpenter behind -- including my little sister...” She then began crying and couldn't continue with her remarks.

Aubrey Feeney, a special education teacher from Ogden, said she supports OIHS because she “needs to look out for my kids.”

After introducing himself as "Laredo" (a teacher at Ogden) the next speaker said that he was “...third generation teacher" who would "never do something to compromise my integrity.."

He told the hearing that "Ogden International High School" is an "option for all children...”

Madalyn Freund introduced herself as an Ogden LSC Community Representative and also a former teacher). “The displacement is something we’re really grappling with," Freund said. "OIHS will enhance your school and your community," she continued. "This is not an economic issue..." she went on. She urged the Carpenter community to "step back and see there are merits..." to the OIHS plan. "We want to be a part of your community," she continued, "but the decision is up to CPS...”

Ogden special education teacher Aubrey Feeney (above) told the hearing that she had concluded that the establishment of the Ogden International High School at Carpenter was "in the best interest of my students." Substance photo by Garth Liebhaber.Holmes Elemetnary School teacher Laura Pahr spoke after Freund in support of Carpenter. “Moving children to another school against their consent is traumatic..." she said. Citing research, she noted that it takes three to six months the adjustment for adjustment." Noting that a parent earlier mentioned three other buildings which could be used for OIHS, she asked why Ogden had to evict Carpenter. "Go for other options," she urged.

A teacher at Ogden who identified himself as "Ryan" stated that “half of our students qualify for a free lunch..." and, like others from Ogden, insisted that the Gold Coast elementary school was just like other Chicago public schools. "We need new opportunities...," he continued. "I look forward to this opportunity.” The teacher -- "Ryan" -- also declared that "Wells is not a good choice for our children."

On the side, Rico Gutstein of UIC talked; he said the actual number was of Ogden children on free and reduced lunch was closer to 25 percent, one of the lowest in the city.

Several students spoke next, on both sides of the question.

Jason Hall (Holmes student in support of Carpenter): “I feel what you are going through...” Hall said. He noted that Holmes had been on the January - February 2009 "hit list" and had only been taken off at the last minute. That's why Holmes teachers and students were at the hearing.

Gerris Pierce (Ogden Middle School student) spoke after Hall, justifying the proposed Ogden International High School. He noted that the eighth graders had spent two years at Carpenter's "

Ogden Middle School.

Carpenter Elementary School student Larua Padilla (above) was one of several students who had worked carefully on their statement for the hearing. Ms. Padilla was unable to read her remarks to the end because (above) her lips began to quiver as she talked about what Carpenter meant to her and her family and, a few seconds later, she began crying. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.Without thinking that he was talking to students whose school was about to be destroyed, Pierce said: “...if we’re taken out of our main element now, it doesn’t make sense for us to go somewhere else...” The irony is that he could have been talking more directly in support of Carpenter students, but instead was speaking in favor of a plan that would hurt the Carpenter students while supposedly helping him,

Jahma Harut (whose name we hope we've spelled correctly, an Ogden Middle School student) said: “... I think it is important for us to stay at the same building.... the children of (of Ogden) will feel as comfortable as previously. Carpenter is the perfect location...”

Carl [no last name given, another Ogden Student, echoed the testimony of many from Ogden about how great Carpenter was: “... coming to Carpenter was great for us..." he said, "but if we get OIHS it would be an easier transition for us... putting OIHS into Carpenter would help the learning environment...”

An Ogden Middle School teacher named Brian McCormick said that “... the move here was great..." and noted how much Ogden had in the Carpenter building. "We have a dedicated music and art room, a science lab..." he said. He added that with the new high school will be right by the CTA and the highway it will be the perfect location for both Ogden High School and its community and corporate partners.

Laura Padilla, a Carpenter student begged the hearing to allow Carpenter to continue: “Moving children around is hard on them..." Padilla said. "I don’t think Carpenter should be closed,” she said before breaking down in tears.

Anthony Vandarakis (above left) introduced himself to the hearing as the assistant principal for the Ogden Middle School. Vandarakis was one of five Ogden teachers who used the occasion of the hearing to slander the teachers at nearby Wells High School. Andarakis characterized Wells as a "failing" school and said that "Wells is not an option" for Ogden students. As more and more Ogden teachers and parents showed their growing disregard and disrepect for the city's general high schools, tensions in the room grew, especially among those who taught at the city's high schools. Among the audience and speakers were CORE teachers from Little Village, Julian, and Chicago Vocational high schools who tried to moderate against the extreme teacher bashing views expressed by the Ogden teachers and parents. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.Anthony Vandarakis, who introduced himself as "Ogden Assistant Principal, made an extended apology for principal, who was not at the hearing. According to the teacher, the principal is with students on a field trip to France.

“... CPS is getting it’s feet wet in the K-12 arena," Vandarakis claimed. He said that everyone was "... really excited about this...." and that people "can’t sleep at night... "

He said he "wished we (the hearing) was talking more about how fabulous this will be.... "

Then he proclaimed: "Wells H.S. is not an option, it’s a failing high school...”

Carpenter student Lucera Bermodez echoed something that had been said earlier: “You shouldn’t mix up the ages," she said. "it’s not appropriate for the little kids... If this is No Child Left Behind... why are you kicking us out?....”

Holmes Elementary School teacher Larua Pahr came with a group from Holmes, which is located on the South Side at 55th St., to show support for Carpenter, its staff, students, parents and community. A month earlier, Holmes had been on the 2009 "hit list" of school to face so-called "turnaround", only to be taken off the list at the last minute. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.Nate Goldbaum (CORE, teacher) asked the Ogden people to ask: “...What is the moral choice? ... with the economic crisis building more schools should be the priority... good schools for everybody...”

Xian Barrett (CORE, teacher at Julien H.S.): “... I work in a gang infested high school... teach Japanese education...we have languages at our school too..." he noted.

He asked everyone to focus on full criticism of decision made. "You have ‘no choice’ is a bad lesson to the kids.. there’s always a choice... two communities should join together... moved by Ogden students, want the same as Carpenter...empathy important...” Barrett said he was disappointed that some teachers from Ogden had bad mouthed their colleagues from Wells High School.

Carpenter mother Patricia Orozco (above right) spoke with her three children, one of whom has a severe hearing disability. Orozco reminded the hearing how difficult it was for families with children with disabilities to keep their children together in the same school. Carpenter school, as the principal reported, had spent a great deal of money to provide special insulation in classrooms, allowing students with hearing disabilities to productively be mainstreamed. At the earlier hearings on the proposed "phase out" in February and at the March 20 hearing, Carpenter noted these problems providing for children with special needs. In both cases, the Board of Education and the Office of New Schools have ignored the parents' requests. In fact, many suspect that the Office of New Schools has been working with a faction in the schools system to privatize as many specialized services as possible, despite evidence that privatized services are either poor or even dangerous for the children. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.Carpenter parent Patricia Orozco spoke while standing with the three of her children who attend Carpenter. One of her children is a student enrolled in the Deaf Education program, which there are not many of. “... I haven’t heard where our new schools will be...." she said. "I can’t start over, worked hard to get her daughter here..." she continued.

Her nephew spoke: “My cousin (special ed) needs help to learn...”

Laura Padilla is comforted by another Carpenter student who couldn't finish her remarks (above) while (behind Padilla and Maria) Carpenter principal Aida Muñoz, LSC member Jane Fleming, and University of Illinois (Chicago) professor Pauline Lipman look on. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt. Her deaf son added: “I want my school to stay open.”

A Tale of Two Cities?

[Editor's Note: The following analysis was added by SubstanceNews editor George N. Schmidt]. Echoing through the March 20 hearing were themes going back to the 1960s and 1970s in Chicago, and the presence of Stanley Kusper, who was associated with the first mayor Richard Daley during those tumultuous years, was a reminder.

Although King College Prep High School (above, at 4554 S. Drexel Blvd.) is more than one mile closer to Ogden Elementary School than Northside College Prep, not one person from Ogden mentioned King as an option for Ogden students seeking a "quality" high school. King High School offers virtually every course and extra curricular program that Ogden students could take at North Side, and is now in a very historic neighborhood. The home of President Barack Obama is a mile east and south of King. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.The constant repetition of the teacher bashing themes against the city's general high schools could have been done during the early 1970s, as white people referred to the schools across the city that were being resegregated on orders of City Hall as being populated by "them."

Most interesting was the clash between the supposedly "post racial" era and the racial undertones of the entitlement demands of the Ogden parents and teachers. When Ogden lists those schools at which their children should be entitled to attend, usually the list is topped by Northside College Prep. Northside College Prep (dubbed "Chico High School" during its construction because it was to serve the community where then Board of Education President Gery Chico lived) has been Chicago's least African American high school since its opening.

Not once did the Ogden speakers note the irony of the fact that five very good selective enrollent high schools are closer to Ogden Elementary School than Northside College Prep.

The five are:

Lane Technical High School.

Lincoln Park High School.

Whitney Young High School.

Jones College Prep High School.

King College Prep High School.

Near North Career Metro High School sits at 1450 N. Larrabee (above) and is presently vacant and ready to re-open as a Chicago high school. But the CPS "Office of New Schools" never suggested that Ogden International High School be located in Near North instead of inside the current Carpenter Elementary School. Carpenter will never have the sports and other facilities, including outdoor playing fields, that Near North already has, but the careful steering of "New Schools" -- based on real estate development and other racial criteria which have nothing to do with public education -- is evident when selections are made. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.At any time, any of these five schools is offering programs and possibilities equal to or better than those offered at Walter Payton High School or Northside College Prep High School.

The difference is that the majority of students at Lane Tech, Lincoln Park, Whitney Young, Jones, and King are not white.

As I sat listening to the tortured explanations for their termination of Carpenter Elementary School during the March 20 hearings, I wondered if there were some barrier that forbids students from north of Roosevelt Road from applying to and attending King High School, on Chicago's South Side.

According to CORE's Karen Lewis, who teaches at King, the answer is "No." King High School, at 4445 S. Drexel Blvd,, is miles closer to Ogden Elementary than Northside College Prep.

On a pleasant day, Jones College Prep High School and Whitney Young Magnet High School are within walking distance of Ogden Elementary School.

Yet on a Friday night, in March 2009, a few months after Barack Obama (whose home is a few blocks from King) was inaugurated as President of the United States in Chicago's Grant Park, the echoes were of a much earlier time in Chicago history. The majority of parents, teachers and students from Chicago's Ogden Elementary School had in their minds a map of Chicago that doesn't allow them to think about the opportunities offered by a school like King College Prep. Instead, that map and the thinking that created it leads them to denigrate their neighborhood high school (Wells) in the most vicious way. They then devote years of their careers and millions of public dollars to create a pretentious boutique public high school (Ogden International High School) to reflect their biases (masked as visionary approaches to "New Schools" courtesy of Chicago's "Renaissance 2010" plan for resegregating the city).

When asked by CORE members why they insisted on taking over Carpenter, rather than using the Near North building, some Ogden teachers said that their vision for a "K-12" school was more suited to Carpenter, which is an elementary school building. In that case, CPS has another vacant school building, one mile farther north from Near North and about the same distance from the present Ogden as Carpenter. Above, the Mulligan Elementary School building, at 1855 N. Sheffield, has been vacant for several years and could serve to house the elementary, middle school, and "high school" programs that come with the OIHS "vision." Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.After the hearings, someone claimed that the Near North Career Magnet High School site was not right for Ogden International High School because the Ogden plan calls for the "new" school to be a "K-12" school.

As Carpenter leaders Maria Hernandez pointed out during the hearings, however, the Board also has another vacant school (Mulligan Elementary, at 1855 N. Sheffield) that could save Carpenter and provide the space for the visionary OIHS.

No.

It's not about the vision, or the "New School" thing.

Stanely Kusper would remember the days when Chicago meticulously segregated its communities, block by block, and school by school, under an earlier mayor named Richard Daley.

In those days, some black civil rights leaders finally concluded (when the "anti busing" movement was brewing to thwart desegregation in places like Chicago): "It's not the bus. It's us."

Under the current Chicago Board of Education and with the expensive support of the "Office of New Schools" and "Renaissance 2010," Chicago is doing in the first decade of the 21st Century what it pioneered in the middle decades of the 20th Century. Segregation. 

Attorney Michael Melendez said he will summarize comments and give to the board promptly. not given a deadline. He said people could contact him at Michael @melendezlawoffice.com. He said his report will be at the Board by Wednesday (the day of the Board meeting) for certain. He didn't seem to know that the agenda for the Board meeting, which is supposed to include his report, is due to be published Monday under the Illinois Open Meetings Act. 

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