Alderman Roderick T. Sawyer Open Letter On School Closings

May 21, 2013

To Whom It May Concern,

My hope is to lower the volume on the arguments just a little bit.  As we approach the final school board meeting where the fate of up to 53 public schools with be in the hands of the school board, I want to be sure that my position on the issue is clear.  I think that this entire process is going on too fast.

My concern with closing schools because they are underutilized is that we don’t talk about why they are underutilized.  If a neighborhood has been decimated by the housing crisis, or has a large population of seniors, those neighborhood schools might have fewer children in direct proximity.  Yet, will this always be the case.  Is it our policy that we are giving up hope that areas with a large number of vacancies will come back, or will we just build schools when and if that happens?  If you have people around and attendance has dropped, is that due to the school or is it due to the drum beat that has labeled neighborhood schools “failure factories” despite performance, improvements or targeted efforts?  As we create “safe passage” plans, are we taking into considerations situations like Yale School in my ward where the walk is through long abandoned areas of the city that do not have workable sidewalks nor enough population that it has been seen as a reasonable investment for menu money? The basic point is what is the plan?

I am not attempting to demonize the Mayor.  I am certain that he believes that he is doing what is in the best interest for our children.  The problem is that I do not know enough about his vision to agree or disagree.  Is the goal of the upheaval that a student in a poor neighborhood can get the type of education that can send him to the Ivy League or is the goal that he is trained for a job?  Both goals may be noble but that is a policy discussion that should be held in public.  I was fortunate.  I was able to go to great schools that were private that gave me a love for learning and the opportunity to follow my dreams.  My goal is to ensure that the ability to follow ones greatest dreams never becomes the sole possession of those born to the powerful and well connected.

So let us know.  We had hearings before and after the list came out yet no criteria for what made an underutilized school worth saving.  Beyond treats like ipads and gardens how are these new schools going to provide a better education for our children?  How are they going to fill in the gaps for our parents?  How are they going to better engage in our community?

When people do not know what your vision of success is and whether it included people like them, they are unlikely to trust it.  If nothing else the protests and emotions deserve a recognition that this issue goes beyond some of the cynical motives of politics as usual that we too often ascribe to government disagreements.  People have protested, yelled, begged and cried to be heard.  The question they ask now is if anyone in power was listening.

Sincerely,

Rod

6th Ward Chicago Picture of the Week

Alderman Roderick T. Sawyer of the 6th Ward joined representative from the Chicago White Sox, City Year and the Park Manor Community for a project to paint and update the interior and exterior of Park Manor School 70th and Rhodes.  This was a great event with over 100 volunteers and was part of the White Sox Cares #MakeAnImpact campaign.  This program added new walls, repainted play facilities and murals to the school to provide a brighter interior and exterior for the students to achieve academic excellence.

6th Ward Chicago Picture of the Week

Alderman Roderick T. Sawyer addressing his monthly 6th Ward Seniors meeting.  The meeting is held the 2nd Thursday of each month where Alderman Sawyer brings in different speakers to share information with the seniors.  This group also plans activities, has an annual Black History program and gets updated from the Alderman about what is going on in city council and in the ward.  In this last meeting Alderman Sawyer was being questioned about the Privatization Transparency and Accountability Ordinance and for an update on the school closings in the city.  The 6th Ward Seniors usually take a break during the summer but there will be social events during the break.  Call the Alderman's office at (773) 635-0006 for more information.

6th Ward Chicago : Cole Park Unity Day

Alderman Roderick T. Sawyer spoke to members of the Cole Park Advisory Board and the community during Cole Park Unity Day.  Alderman Sawyer shared his strong feelings for Cole Park and made a plea to residents to make use of all of the parks in the 6th Ward.

6th Ward Chicago Picture of the Week

Alderman Roderick T. Sawyer marched in the Annual Walk of Hope with St. Mark A.M.E. Zion Church to highlight April being Child Abuse Prevention Month.  The march went through the Park Manor neighborhood of the 6th Ward and ended with a community gathering at the church which is located at 7358 S. Cottage Grove.  Alderman Sawyer was joined by Pastor Alesia A. Hillsman-Terrell and members of the church and community.

6th Ward Chicago : Streets and Sanitation Grid Meeting

Alderman Roderick T. Sawyer hosted a Ward Meeting to explain the new grid garbage system.  This video shows highlights from the meeting.

Alderman Roderick T. Sawyer joined Comedians Tony Sculfield and Leon Rogers along with Jeff Moody from Clear Channel to help the new owners of Farmer's Food Basket on 71st and King Drive to celebrate the store selling a $1 million lottery ticket.  The store has made many new renovations and is excited about partnering with the community and bringing healthy, quality food options to the Park Manor Neighborhood.

6th Ward Chicago Picture of the Week

Alderman Sawyer hosted a ward meeting to explain the new grid system to 6th Ward residents.  The Alderman was joined by District Superintendents Harold Irving and Eric Tabb, Ward Superintendent for the 6th Ward Paul Bryson and 6th Ward Clerk Linda.  The new process has been centralized and the majority of the ward is currently in grid service.  Calls to the Streets and Sanitation ward yard are still being answered however the clerks are sharing calls and are based from a location on the south west side.  Alderman Sawyer is committed to working with residents through this transition so that we can keep garbage collection moving.