CTU press conference highlights needs in schools; former student testifies of help he received from social workers
A Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) press conference highlighted one of its contract demands of full staffing in the schools by social workers, school nurses, librarians, school psychologists, special education teachers and bilingual education teachers – with speeches from people helped by these "critical frontline staff," as CTU characterizes them.
Chandler GroveThe press conference held outside CPS headquarters before the Chicago Board of Education meeting on June 26 included testimony by former Kelvyn Park student Chandler Grove:
I used to be one of those children who struggled constantly with, not only domestic issues, but lack of guidance and motivation to even get out of bed in the morning. With both parents not present, and the abusive situation that I was constantly exposed to, the only way I was able to cope with the unavailable emotional and physical resources in my life was through the fantastic work that my social worker, Ms. Matthews.
She was able to provide for me. She has showed me ways to deal with my troubles at home, how to identify the problems before they became an issue, how to correct them and to learn from my mistakes.
The importance of social work here in the city is of the essence, many students and children would be lost without them. Adding more cases on top of the ones they already have means thousands of kids lose that exact privilege I was so lucky to have in my life. The city should ensure that children with less resources and difficult lives outside of the classroom have just as much of an opportunity as children with more fortunate situations.
By: Theresa D. Daniels
Powerful student testimony
I'm so glad to see such powerful student testimony on the personnel that students and schools really need. How can the school board justify not providing enough social workers, nurses, librarians, counselors, aides, and whomever I may have missed in my list here?