DALEY LIES ABOUT CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Mayor Daley would like you to believe Chicago Public Schools are doing great. He said just that at a recent press conference:

"I am proud that every year, schools are improving in every neighborhood across the city in measureable ways...I have made the education of our children my highest priority as Mayor. Of course, there's more to accomplish, but let's give credit where credit is due: It has been a very good year for Chicago Public Schools," he said.

However, a recent report by the Civic Federation has quite a different view. Greg Hinz for Crain's reports:

Chicago Public School reform largely has failed, with the vast bulk of students either dropping out or unprepared for college and apparent gains at the grade-school level more perceived than real. That's the bottom line of a blockbuster report released Tuesday by the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club, a report that directly challenges the legitimacy of one of Mayor Richard M. Daley's major claimed accomplishments.

Titled "Still Left Behind," the report freely uses terms like "abysmal" to describe the true state of public education in Chicago. The report was prepared by committee President R. Eden Martin, a lawyer, with analytical support from Paul Zavitkovsky of the College of Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Half of the students drop out by high school, and of those who remain until 11th grade, 70% fail to meet state standards, the report says. In fact, "In the regular (non-magnet) neighborhood high schools, which serve the vast preponderance of students, almost no students are prepared to succeed in college."

The report directly challenges widespread claims by current and former CPS officials that local students have shown substantial progress over the last decade on standardized tests.

More lies from Daley? Well that's not surprising. As the joke I have often heard goes: How do you know Daley is lying? His mouth is moving.

Of course, the victims here are the children of Chicago. If the education of Chicago's children was really Daley's "highest priority as Mayor," then he probably wouldn't be stealing CPS money through TIF districts all over the city. I guess Daley only likes these kids when it's convenient. Like when it's time to move the Children's Museum to Grant Park. Remember when he said this:

"You mean you don't want children from the city in Grant Park? Why? Are they black? Are they white? Are they Hispanic? Are they poor? You don't want children? We have children in Grant Park all the time. This is a park for the entire city. What do you mean no one wants children down there? Why not? Wouldn't you want children down there?"