Chicago State Senator James Meeks (D-Chicago) has proposed a rather radical action to protest the underfunding of Chicago's inner city schools.Meeks has issued a call for all school kids in Chicago's poorest districts to boycott the first day at their assigned school and instead head to resource-rich predominately white schools and attempt to register there.
Meeks plan has supporters and detractors. ...
It's no secret that schools in predominately poor urban and rural communities just do not provide the educational opportunities to be had in solidly middle-class or affluent communities. But what to do about it? Republicans and others favor various forms of "school choice" or voucher programs where children stuck in a lousy school would have the option to move to one with stronger academic options.
Others simply want state and federal government to allocate more dollars to improving under-performing schools. 'No Child Left Behind' is an example of a recent government initiative meant to insure that all students have some basic, uniform standard of achievement. source
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5 comments:
I live i Chicago and there has been alot of publicity about this in the local news. I haven't heard anything from the Natioanl Networks but I'm happy to hear that the message is spreading. The boycott is radical but necessary.
As an educator I can tell you no child left behind does not work. It really has to start in the home. Kids need to come dedicated to learning and parents have to work with their kids. I have thought AP Classes where I didnt really utilize the text book I used alternative resources but my students were self motivated so no matter what I threw at them they were all over it.
Ohhhh! We need to do this in Detroit! I love the idea!
Somebody has to do SOMETHING!!! I love Pastor Meeks (I used to visit his church when I lived in Chicago) and how he never runs out of ideas to make things happen for black people - I pray this idea catches on and wakes some folks UP!! Thanks for this post -
Yes I read about this I have to say I am torn because I believe bussing and forced integration into better public institution solves the immediate problem. However it contributes to the long term issue which is effective and equal funding of all public schools even those that collect a low amount of tax payer money for education.
The busing will continue to drive the state of the underfunded urban schools into the ground. It will silence those who are active and want the best education available education for their children. And leave behind those who don't have an adequate voice to speak for them. Thus leaving a large number of children left behind.
The community will allow it to continue because those who have an issue with their child's poor school will have him/her bussed to a richer neighborhood. Like or not the largest folks sounding the horn are those wanting the option.
Texas has this problem, as suspect many states do. Our law makers create a bill called Robinhood that takes from the richer school budgets, however not sure how fair that is either.
I think that the state should avg the amount all public schools collect from taxes and then make all the districts above a certain line in taxes collected split equally what it takes to fund the lesser public schools up to the average. I think that is what would work.
-OG
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