Save North Lawndale Schools

Compiled by Valerie F. Leonard

An update on North Lawndale school closings. Published by the Committee to Save North Lawndale Schools Compiled by Valerie F. Leonard
Save Our Schools Volume 1 | Issue 2 | April 16, 2013

Who is Global Workplace Solutions?

I thank Carol Johnson for sharing this article from the CPS Chatter blog. On Wednesday, April 3rd, CPS signed a $14.2 million dollar contract with Global Workplace Solutions to provide logistical support for the massive school closings. So who exactly is Global Workplace Solutions? GWS is a part of Johnson Controls, which is a Fortune 100 company that is headquartered in Milwaukee Wisconsin. In 2001, it was part of a deal with the city of New Orleans that the Times-Picayune called one of the most corrupt in New Orleans history, saying The breadth of the graft and greed alleged in the indictment is breathtaking, even by the standards of a city inured to public corruption, The deal eventually triggered a federal investigation that eventually triggered at least a dozen guilty pleas including one to Johnson Controls project manager Terry Songy. They were accused of having subcontractors deliberately jack up prices and then the guilty parties would pocket the difference. Johnson Controls played the dupe during the investigation claiming that they were as much a victim as anyone else, but New Orleans didnt see it that way. They refused to pay their bill for months in 2010. They had good reason to doubt Johnson Controls innocence as he case summary also alleges that businessman Robert Tucker and financier Rafael Ray Valdes each received $273,000 in fees from Johnson Controls, awarded strictly on the basis of their influence and perceived influence with New Orleans Mayor, Marc Morial. Valdes worked as a consultant for Johnson Controls at the same time he arranged financing for the city, netting himself a total $2.1 million in fees. Johnson Controls also has an education division and longstanding ties with the Charter School business including UNO. This is just something else to make it harder to believe that this move has anything to do with helping the school children of Chicago. I would be curious to find out exactly where the extra school supplies wind up after the closings. Ill be back this weekend with our normal format. There have been some great articles and editorials written recently, but I just had to share what I learned about the company profiting off of these closings.

Welcome!
Welcome to Save North Lawndale Schools, a newsletter to provide updates on school closings. If you would like to unsubscribe, submit material, or make general comments, you may contact me at valeriefleonard@msn.com. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Valerie F. Leonard, Editor

Links to Blogs and Other Resources to Follow Education Issues

http://www.catalyst-chicago.org/ http://www.substancenews.net/ http://progressillinois.com/ http://www.ctunet.com/ http://pureparents.org/

Public Meetings
Congressman Danny K. Davis, Congressman Bobby L. Rush to Host Public Hearings on Chicago School Closures
Saturday, April 20, 2013 9:00 am-1:00 pm Quinn Chapel AME Church 2401 S Wabash Ave Chicago, IL 60616 Contact: Cherita Logan at 773-533-7520 We are deeply honored Dwayne Truss and Valerie F. Leonard will participate in a community panel representing the North Lawndale and Austin communities. (Note the location change since the last issue.)

Pictures and Videos

The Truth Behind Stand for Children
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iAjkf99F9c

Bethune School of Excellence Quilts

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150966817948 024.451390.587348023&type=3 Bethune School of Excellence Graduation https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150974712388 024.452480.587348023&type=3

Henson Public Meeting

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151557846473 024.1073741831.587348023&type=3 Pope Community Meeting https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151557841303 024.1073741830.587348023&type=3

North Lawndale School Public Meetings

As promised, the CAC will continue to support these schools and is requesting that all of our members continue their support. The next public meetings are as listed below. Pope Public Hearing Friday April 19, 2012 5:30 pm 7:30 pm - CPS Central Office 125 S. Clark (Note this is a correction from the first issue) Paderewski Public Hearing (Pilsen-Little Village Cluster) Friday, April 19, 2013 8:00 pm- 10:00 pm- CPS Central Office 125 S. Clark Bethune Public Hearing (Garfield-Humboldt Park Cluster) Thursday, April 25, 2013 5:30 pm 7:30 pm CPS - Central Office 125 S. Clark Henson Public Hearing Thursday, April 25, 2013 8:00 pm 10:00 pm CPS - Central Office 125 S. Clark Chalmers School-Public Hearing Thursday May 2, 2012 CPS Central Office 125 S. Clark (Note this is a correction from the first issue) Save these dates so we can continue the kind of support that we have given all the schools. I know its quite a few meetings, but we have come too far to stop now. --Betty Allen Green, PhD, North Lawndale CAC Co-Chair

Paderewski Press Conference

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151557831163 024.1073741829.587348023&type=3

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/XV8B T6Honce we reach a critical mass. The results will be tabulated and shared

North Lawndale In the News

Let's thank Rev. Robin Hood for representing the North Lawndale community and the impact that school closures could have on student safety. Here is a link to an AP article on the WBEZ website. http://www.wbez.org/news/chicagoschools-consult-gang-lines-closure-plan-106655 Here's a link to the article from the AP website. God willing, the story has gone international, and will cause the world to focus on the Mayor's school closure policies and the impact on our community. We also have a quote from a Henson parent, which gives us a 1-2 punch. http://bigstory.ap.org/article/chicago-schools-consult-ganglines-closure-plan

whether 36 are higher performing. Regarding safety, some kids will have to walk over a mile with no busing. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/education/ct-met-cpsclosing-chunks-20130412,0,5581020.story Curtis Black finds that 28 "welcoming" schools are on academic probation http://www.newstips.org/2013/04/betterschools/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_ campaign=Feed%3A+communitymediaworkshop%2Fnewstips +%28Chicago+Newstips+by+Curtis+Black%29 School reform in 3 major cities (including Chicago) brings few benefits some harm.School closings and other market-driven reforms havent helped with student outcomes. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answersheet/wp/2013/04/13/study-school-reform-in-3-major-citiesbrings-few-benefits-some-harm/ So we won't be saving much money after all, kids will not be going to better schools in the majority of cases, many students will have to deal with overcrowding and reduced safety, research shows this isn't effective, and we'll have 54 vacant buildings scattered throughout the city? Call your state and Congressional representatives to tell them mass school closings will not be good for Chicagos students. You can find your reps here by plugging in your address: http://www.elections.il.gov/DistrictLocator/DistrictOfficialSearch ByAddress.aspx

Better Schools?
http://www.newstips.org/2013/04/better-schools/

Are School Closings Racist?

http://www.newstips.org/2013/04/are-school-closingsracist/#more-7099

On School Closings, West Siders Offer Alternatives

http://www.newstips.org/2013/04/on-school-closings-westsiders-offer-alternatives/

More School Closings in the News

High-performing School Finds Itself on Closing List
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/education/ct-met-cpsclosing-calhoun-cather-20130412,0,5584373.story

Teachers, Parents & Students Protest CPS' Plan To Turnaround Chalmers Elementary
http://progressillinois.com/quickhits/content/2013/04/03/teachers-parents-students-protest-cpsplan-turnaround-chalmers

Neighborhood walk-through reveals dangers for CPS students

http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/21860686/neighborhoodwalk-through-reveals-dangers-for-cps-students

Links from Susana Sandoval's Facebook Page

CPS to borrow $329 million to help pay for school closings. CPS to issue $329 million in bonds to help pay for upgrades at receiving schools.This will increase debt servicing payments by $25 million for the next 30 years. http://www.wbez.org/news/education/cps-will-go-further-debtpay-upgrades-receiving-schools-106627 http://www.catalystchicago.org/notebook/2013/04/11/20977/record-paying-schoolactions Tribune analyzes school closings and says questionable

Chicago to Close 54 Schools to Address $1Billion Deficit

http://news.yahoo.com/chicago-close-54-schools-address-1bdeficit-220214516.html (This story was carried in over 300 newspapers across the country.)

A Sign of Stability
http://www.catalyst-chicago.org/news/2013/04/03/20949/signstability

North Lawndale Stakeholders Release Alternative Plan To School Closures

http://progressillinois.com/quick-hits/content/2013/03/21/northlawndale-stakeholders-release-neighborhood-plan-combatschool-cl