LSC Update: Curie, Lawrence, Etc.

If anyone has additional news or perspectives on the Curie and Lawrence situations, post them here.  Last I heard, there was a meeting at Curie that never happened, and maybe another one Wednesday, but the arbitration date hadn't been set.  As for Lawrence, there was something about a 911 call and a gun but then I lost track.  What's the latest?

Comments

[George N Schmidt]

Thanks for asking about Lawrence.

I interviewed the parents protesting outside Lawrence Elementary last Thursday. The school is at 9928 S. Crandon (2300 east). The protesters have been standing on the south side of 100th St., which runs along the south end of the school. 100th St. is the busier of the two streets north and south of Lawrence, and many people have been honking their horns in support of the parents.

According to one of the parents who was at the Board meeting, there was a major commotion. She said that when she returned to the school after Wednesday's Board of Education meeting at about 3:00 p.m. two police officers, one male and one female, showed up and arrested her. The parent was taken to the South Chicago police station (about three blocks from the school), where she was charged with simple assault.

According to the parent, during the police processing, her blood pressure went up and she had to be rushed to South Chicago Hospital, where a dangerously high blood pressure was reported. Her condition was then brought under control.

More than a dozen parents were protesting on the south side of 100th St. between noon and some time after 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 29. they were joined by dozens of students after school let out (early, for teacher meetings).

I expect to have more again in two days. The story was continuing.

A couple of questions:

One: Why was the lengthy Lawrence thread here disappeared about five days ago?

Two: Has anyone seen the TV version of the March 28 Chicago Board of Education meeting? I taped it but shared the tape with a friend. It would be interesting to see how many minutes were cut out of the official video at various points, including the long confrontation over Lawrence.

Beginning April 25 (the next Board meeting) we will audio tape each meeting and compare the number of minutes at public participation with the number of minutes in the official video version.

I received a call today from GHy Research (www.hartresearch.com) asking me questions about my job in CPS and my opinions of the union, mayor, politicians, contract, etc. They wouldn't say who was funding the research. Any one else get a similar phone call or know who is funding the poll and why?

George,

They cut the entire Lawrence segment out of the aired broadcast!

[George Schmidt]

1. Hart research usually does work for the Democratic Party and leadership groups within large locals of the American Federation of Teachers. They were probably working for the United Progressive Caucus (Marilyn Stewart's group) in the leadership of the Chicago Teachers Union. If what I suspect is accurate, then someone should ask Marilyn Stewart next Wednesday at the CTU House of Delegates meeting how much the union is paying to do research for her re-election campaign.

What can you learn from going to the Hart Group's Website?

2. If the entire Lawrence Elementary segment was cut our of the Cable TV Board meeting broadcast, it means they are getting even more ham fisted in their editing.

The story will appear in at least one print place by next week -- with many photographs.

The blog accoding to George... Substance is late George--people have paid for it. Get off the blog and catch up with your deadline. No wonder you are loosing subscribers.

[Julie Woestehoff]

No, there was an extensive segment of the Lawrence presentation. Three parents spoke and then they brought out Jacqueline Anderson, the CPS Chief Officer of School Coordination. She made some biased, unprofessional statements that blamed everyone at the school for one thing or another. She argued back and forth with the parents who then got back on the mike and talked a little more. Then there was a clear editing cut.

Two other clear editing cuts came after Burt Murrell (who used to work for School and Community Relations and also for former Board President Scott) unloaded some criticisms of the Board's blunders at Curie, and also after Derrick Harris started asking about scholarships and the children of Board members.

The parents were making threatening remarks. (so they would not look so bad.) Boy, it is amazing how biased some people are. They see what they want to see.
But the commentator above has her own bias--good thing this blog allows other opinions.

[Molly Bloom]

Another half truth. Bert Murrell has been a gadfly for forever--I remember watching him arguing with Chico when I used to watch the televised board meetings. If he worked for CPS, it must have been under the theory of keeping your enemies close. At any rate, he's had an agenda for years so it's not like he suddenly went public after working for CPS as JW implies.

[George Schmidt]

Subscribers who are having problems know how to contact us, since the postal problems we began documenting in October are now more common knowledge. But they have to do so by name. I can't locate anyone named "April 24, 2007 9:59 a.m." on our mailing list. Just checked.

Still waiting to learn why the original Lawrence thread here (which was begun on March 22 or March 23) is no longer here. Any suggestions or ideas? It was filled with some important information.

Thanks, Julie, for clarifying that part of the Lawrence discussion at the March 28 Board of Education meeting aired. We were there, and the discussion with Jacqueline Anderson continued out back of the Board chambers. From my notes and what I remember, she did, as Julie characterized, "blame everyone at the school for one thing or another."

The next question regards the details of the alleged threats and the verified arrest. Any ideas or updates?

[SmashedFace]

Alexander has a little box for Google on the left. Type Lawrence Elementary blog--or something like that, and the thread will pop up. Someone posted on it today so it was up for a while again.

[had to go]

Well it's nice to know that I made the right choice to leave Lawrence even though I had been their for a long time but I see know that the concern there is not about the kids anymore because no one is looking at the data that is right in everyone's face and all they can look at is how to let this woman send the scores to the gutter.

[Leni]

FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR CHILDREN

The right to education is the right to a good education. Our schools must take all of our children to the top of the mountain and show them what lies beyond. Rather then think we must push students to the limit of their capacity to learn, we must adopt the view that there are no limits on a child’s ability to learn. Often, the improbable is possible. For our children are our future, and whether they grow up to become responsible adults who contribute to society or unproductive individuals who weigh it down will be determined in large measure by what transpires during the next decade in our public schools. There is, in some circles, a tendency to identify poor educational performance in our schools with a changing clientele-as if a high percentage of minority students serve to free educators from responsibility. Instead of promoting the idea that more help is needed for certain students, this brand of thinking has been used to explain that the needy cannot learn. It takes the burden of accountability off the shoulders of professional educators and is tantamount to writing off the poor. A school system that is functioning properly can educate any child. The poorer and more disadvantaged student is, the greater the potential impact of school upon that child. Each child will have different needs, but all children should be equal in the matter of entitlement. They are entitled to develop their capacity to the fullest extent possible, and it is the obligation of our public schools to share in the mission of fulfillment. Many schools have already met with success in educating youngsters from poor families by concentrating on what children are capable of becoming, not on what is wrong with them. Parents cannot tolerate a philosophy that excuses professionals from educating all of our children. Good school systems require quality leadership, committed teachers, and a sense of mission. However, these requisites are often unappreciated by the political forces that control public education. Political issues and a host of other factors adversely influence what goes on in public schools. Which brings me to the Curie LSC, who have been bashed around and bullied. Why? Mayor Daley, made a false statement about principle Jones, that she is a "superstar" even though the school has not met AYP in four years, and may now have the state step in and make staff changes (restructure the school). Mayor Daley, created the LSC's which is the governing body of the school, yet when the LSC voted not to renew Maggie Daley's "good friend" Principal Jones's contract, you all went out on a witch hunt. But the documented proof will come out Daley, so be prepared to lose face. Did you know that both the Hispanic and White students are doing well in Curie however, the Black students are failing? Seams to me Mayor Daley, that your "superstar" has become a black hole. You put your foot in your mouth, now you need help getting it out. Harassing and intimidating, the Curie LSC by using the media and the Board of Education attorneys, is nothing less then a dictatorship. This message is for the Curie LSC, YOU ARE LEADERS! Stay strong for the students because they need you. And to all who read this message, please do not measure the intelligence of a person by the language they prefer to speak.

Amen to that! God Bless.

That should go to the suntimes letter to the editor.

What about the harrassment and intimidation of the chair.

What about the principal's other friend Jaqueline Heard the press secretary?

What about when LSC members harass and intimidate principals and teachers? Principals can walk on water and it is not enough for them. Teachers work their butts off and LSC members go into their classrooms unannounced knocking them and telling them what to do-or what they will do to them, lead prayer services and yell at faculty at their meetings. I have witnessed meetings where the children had to be excused because the adults were acting horribly. Yes, these groups will surely lead school improvememnt.

The ones who do the prayer services is Beverly Butler and company from the Office of LSC Relations/NCLB. At the rich Parent Center (Old Raymond School) on Wabash, they have their citywide Parent Advisory Council meetings, and always do that kind of stuff.

At the Power of the Parent conference at McCormick Place, the prayer service was done there also.

So with highly paid employees next door from the CEO office. someone should check the wasted staff there, highly paid secretary's (70,000) a year, contract employees and has LSC members learned because the decisions made on SIPAAA, Budget, and principal selection comes from the 5th floor office. Someone should check (I.G.) when they come to work late all the time, and all they think of is what's for breakfast, what's for lunch, who's going to get the food. Oh, I have to check my email, oh, I have to print documents for Operation Push.

[Shame on you]

What is black,white and slightly brown but very dangerous?
The answer:
Mayor Daley Arne Duncan and the Board of Education Attorney's.

You are right about the operation push services via CPS. I have definately seen this. Who ya gotta pay?

[Former Curie Student]

I resently graduated from Curie and was class rep. For our student council. However due to being in J.R.O.T.C. I had to attend some of the LSC meetings, and what someone posted about the LSC acting ignorent and "harrasing" teachers... is not true. I seen teachers act so ignorent it blew my mind. These same teachers are the same people who are supposed to teach us how to act and be responsible? They work their butts off? Clearly you were not a student in Curie High School. I went to countless meetings, and yes majority of them went horribly, but the teachers never seized to amaze me, with their behavior. Also what kind of principal fires staff for poor attendence, while that person was serving in the military, and had to go train for another deployment? Jones does, he was my teacher yet she failed to fire the other teacher (we had two teachers due to class size) whos failure rate is so incredibly high. I held the highest average at a 70.2%. He of course could not be fired because she would have a law suit on her hands by the Military, and with all the press that was gained from it she had little choice but to keep him in. Going through security was a joke, they would get a number from the Board I assume and would seach only that person. So if the number was 10 ever 10th student went through the metal detectors, everyone else simply walked in. The clear bookbags were fine, however to have the Curie logo, was a safty hazord simply because if a student went on the train (where most incidents occured) or went to the mall, they were in danger or getting jumped, or worse, by students from a "rival" school, simply because it was clear what school they came from. Every student should be checked regardless of how big or small the school is, how is picking a number making the school safer?

Would anyone else like to speak of this principal's high standards for the past four years?

At Young they do not search--the principal cannot stop the social ills from the outside. And students are really not allowed to know why a (prro) teacher is let go.

Has anyone seen Catalyst magazine about the Board taking the power away from LSC's on hiring a principal?

I seen the Curie budget. The LSC and principal better get together immediately and move monies not spent and the parents received another $5,000 plus. Davis, Jones and Teacher Reps, student rep, stop playing games and get back to work.

You are doing a disservice to your school, bad enough the scores are not good.

I read in today's newspaper story on how Arne Duncan wants to hire more superstar principal's yet, he didn't mention Mrs. Jones(Curie principal)of an example he may want to clone. Was her "superstar" title taken away due to documented facts. Can it be Mayor Daley/Arne Duncan just won't admit that they made a big mistake in giving Mrs. Jones an undeserved title? Let the Curie LSC conduct business for the sake of the students. The LSC did nothing wrong. They basically will be removing a failing principal. leave Mr. Tom Ramos alone. Stop harssing, intimidating and bulling him. You are doing this only because you want to use him as an example on how not to mess with the Board of Ed.,Arne Duncan, And the Mayor. Enough already!!! Just stop!!

[concern parent]

i'm a concern parent at r.h. lawrence school my preschool daughter want on a trip to the shedd aqua.the cps bus driver left the children down there so he could get paid.he said the r.h.0 lawrence did pay them so the bus company refused to let the children on the bus

There are plenty of examples of corrupt and disfunctional LSCs. Curie's was just the beginning.

Corrupt and dysfunctional LSC's? You ment the Mayor, Arne Duncan, Board of Ed. Attorney's and many uninformed people. Stick only to what you know. There's more to this (superstar principal) than what she wants anyone to know. Stat tuned!

The problem was that the board interfered illegally in meeting with a LSC member to change his vote. They wanted him to do the dirty work. Why was the Law Dept (Villasenor) invited or did he demand from the Chair to be included in closed session on March 10?

I find it suspicious and not fair for intimidation to exist at Curie. Everyone knows the reason because of the mayor's wife being a friend to Jones.

If the mayor would have checked himself the scores at Curie then he would of stood quiet.

Would everyone please calm down. Once we get a Hispanic into Curie as principal, everything will be fine and all the wrongs done by the previous administration will be corrected. It is just a matter of time.

I smell a dirty rat in the Law Department.

Villasenor in Curie closed session. they must of strong armed Ramos to do what they wanted.

Now they are coming after him for not retaining the Curie principal.

CPS today's paper says there is a shortage of principal's. Send the superstar principal to a school that is in need of help and stop playing political games, everyone can see what is going on here.

CPS is pushing the wrong buttons at Curie. I checked the scores for the last 5 years and Curie has problems, serious problems. The suntimes better get their story straight. Bethca they were bought off, like the rest of the media.

Instead of pushing all of your efforts to bring this Chairman down, you should be focusing on getting Curie off of corrective action.

Too much tax paying dollars is being spent for what a check that was never cashed.

[Darnell T. Glover]

MY VOICE! MY SCHOOL!

Everyday I hear that Duncan wants to hear from the parents. Now hear comes a My Voice My School parent survey coming to the parents on Report Card day. Every month parents come to the Board meeting voicing their concerns.

As I write this, there are those working night and day making plans to take the Local School Councils out of the mix.

I will stand fast in the fight for the students at my school. These are the ones that do not have a voice. The city, cps and the board of education is trying to take this voice from them.

Our students need everyone to stand and be counted. There is nothing wrong with the educational system in Chicago that can't be fix, if those that is in charge do what we the citizens are paying them to do.

They all are public servants. We can not allow them to destroy the school systems in the name of self interests. It is not proven that charter schools are better then public schools, when in fact there are many parents transferring their children back into public schools.

Teachers, has the union! cps, board of education has the daley of the city of chicago.

Who do the students have other then the community, the parents and many of the concern teachers and principles who worked daily educating our children?

Are the parents and community going to allow these people take the public out of schools? These people are working for you! Do not let them take your child’s education from them without voicing your concerns boldly and loud.

I am putting together and producing a television show that will air on CAN-TV, no in fact, a series of television shows... if you would like to be a guest please email me at darnellglover4412b@yahoo.com to make arrangements. We have to protect our babies; we can depend on the system to this. There is no "CHILDEN FIRST IN CHICAGO!"

I really do not see how these people sleep at night or go to church and praise the LORD like they really care about those who can not help themselves. Those wicked ministers who support this takeover of our schools and go to “HELL” for you are acting in the name of the LORD nor any of your church followers.

Community! Parents use your voice to help improve your child's school. Continue to vocie your concerns until someone hears you boldly and loudly. Help is on the way...

[Darnell T. Glover]

Those wicked ministers who support this takeover of our schools can go to "HELL" for you are not acting in the name of the LORD nor are any of your followers and supporters.

[MyVoiceMySchool]

My Voice My School

Has anyone seen the survey?

[Darnell T. Glover]

As a LSC Chairman I rec'd about 25 flyers and a letter from duncan requesting to spend the word about My Voice My School Parent Survey....

Is it a good survey? How will the results be used?

[Darnell T. Glover]

At the moment there are no further information on how it will be used or why it is being done.

At each board meeting parents voice their concerns. But no one really listerns.

The reaction to parents are more or less like the reaction on many of the comments on this blog.

I do not know why so called educational people think that they are the only ones that can think.

The flyer that I rec'd states that the parents survey will be combined with other parent's in the school and together these responses will tell the principals. teachers and school leaders how parents feel about their school. It also tells the parents that thier answers will be anonymous, so they can say whatever on their minds. "RIGHT1"

I have my own feelings about this collecting of this "WAR" information.

But who am I, I am just a parent who can not see what is happening to our public school system. It is not just our (parents) problem it is yours as well. One day cps, the board and the sity has to stopped and listern to those who put them into office. They have to one day learn the true meeting of public schools. These schools do not belong to them to with what they may want.

Today it may be my school and tomorrow yours! This fight is not just the parents, but yours as well.

But if you want more information, anonymously you can call Kristen Burton the contact person at (773) 553-3849 email: kburton1@cps.k12.il.us

Stand up for our children.
Make cps, board and the city accoundable for their actions.

Sometimes, all it takes is just one

thank you

[Darnell T. Glover]

You are truly welcome...

Mr. Darnell T. Glover you should think about contacting Mr. Tom Ramos from (Curie LSC) He is going through what you may soon experience if you decide to take on the Board of Ed., Mayor Daley, Arne Duncan and other cowardly ministers and politicians. You too will be called a racist, liar and a corrupt man. You will be harassed, bullied, intimidated and threatened in many different ways. I don't know if you are aware of this web site so check for yourself: www.isbe.net Use this info. to help show parents and community why everyone should stay involved. Please don't give up! If you contact any one of the politicians I mentioned above, you will be the next on their list! Guaranteed. Always keep in mind that this is not a black,white or brown issue. This is about ALL OF OUR CHILDREN!

The web site mentioned above helps parents and all concerned to view how well your school is doing. Take the necessary time to read and understand the info.. I also agree that maybe you should contact Mr. Ramos and have him on your show.

Mr. Tom Ramos and Mr. Darnell T. Glover I am so happy to see you both stand up and fight for what is right. GOD BLESS YOU BOTH!

[myschoolsurvey]

find the surveys at
http://research.cps.k12.il.us/cps/accountweb/Accountability/MyVoice/

[Darnell T. Glover]

April 10, 2007 @ 9:48 AM
April 10, 2007 @ 9:54 AM
April 10, 2007 @ 9:57 AM

Thank you for your support, it really means a lot too me and the children whom we are fighting for. I agree it is not about black, white or brown thing it is all about the children.

These are just colors and not people. I am not a black man, with black being the key word meaning "cheerless, depressing, marked by anger or sullenness or evil by nature.

As my seven year old son came home from school stateing that he is not a black boy because he had learned what the word black meant and wanted to know why people called him a little black boy.

There is no power on this earth that will keep us from getting the best education for our children, once we the parents realize the power we have.

There are laws in place that protact the rights of the members of the local school councils. We all got to know those laws too the letter.

No matter what cps or the board of ed tries to do if we just know who we are as stated in the law and walk in that letter of the law.

cps, the city and the board will have no other choice but to stand down.

There are many powerful people on some of these lsc's accross the city. Why are they standing quietly by and allowing these educated fools control the destiny of our children education.

If one can not be a solution to these growing problems, then why be a another problem.

Again, you are a blessing to the cause of a better education for all children in the city of chicago.

If anyone have any ideas as far as the on going television show I will produced on CAN-TV concerning the problems parents and the LSCs are having in our public schools and the take over of our schools by business.

Thanks....

Ramos has a hearing this Friday at 5pm at 125 S. Clark. Glover and others should go. I heard that the Curie LSC is meeting tomorrow at 6:00 in the evening. Is anyone attending?

Would someone ask Curie why is the agenda for tomorrow not posted on their website for us to view?

Glover look out, Ramos is being set up, because the CPS wants Jones in by default. After what that man Ramos went through from what he said at their meeting in March, supporters upset and hate e-mails and now Duncan still wants to get him, asking me in my one question, did Ramos go see Duncan with that heart to heart talk with a attorney?

There will be the truth sometime soon, hopefully.

[Darnell T. Glover]

It is not important what duncan or any one else thinks about me and my commitment to the students at Wsdsworth Elementray School. They all have lied to me, the staff and the students of Wadsworth.

Every student has the right to a quality education and nothing less.

I am ready for whatever comes down the tube and they should be as well.

I have a real problem when there are unions that protect teachers, principals and other staff members that are not doing their jobs in the educational process.

I have more problems when we have elected officials who are not doing their jobs in the process of providing a way to educate our babies. This is unacceptable any way you may look at it.

I am 62 years old and have had a very enjoyable life, and I wold like to see the same for every child in the city of chicago.

Why can't everyone feel the pain that our children are feeling. We teach our children words and their meaning. Then under the same breath the president of the chicago board of education states it is nothing wrong with calling children/students "KIDS."

Our students learn that the word "KID" means The young of a similar animal, such as an antelope. 2.a. The flesh of a young goat. b. Leather made from the skin of a young goat; kidskin.

As an adult if someone calls you an animal how would you handle it?

There are problems that can not and will not be fixed by the current leaders and educators in this school system for they are on another trip and danving to another tune.

At all cost, we must stand and look these people in the eyes and demand that our children have the education that they need to advance in this world.

Those of you that are teachers and other educational leaders, as you go into your schools and classrooms feel the pain! Our students are hurting. Are you going to be the one that makes the different in your students lives or are you going to create more pain and hurt in thier lives.

Our students need us. Are you going to step up and be a sounding board for them and boldly voice your concerns as a denferder of their rights.

We must be fearless, move with the stance
power and stop waiting for the other man or woman.

How can it be that Curie's principal has been offered many jobs even though state documents has shown that she is failing her students? Politics as usual! I feel for the students at her next failing school!

6:03PM, you seem to think that whoever runs the web site at Curie cooperates with the LSC.