Chicago Closes 49 Schools

In an attempt to address their budget deficit, the Chicago Board of Education voted to close 49 schools in the district. The vote to close the 48 elementary schools and one high school took place after numerous protests from concerned individuals. Since March, when the decision to close 53 Chicago schools was first announced, over 34,000 individuals have attended public hearings to express their outrage, but in the end, 49 of the 53 schools made it to the chopping block. Since 2003, the Chicago school district, the third largest in the United States, has lost nearly 145,000 students, leaving many of the schools to be cut only half full. By closing the schools and transferring to students to other schools, the district has the potential to save over $500 million dollars over the next ten years, which is no small amount to a district facing a nearly $1 billion budget deficit. According to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the CEO of Chicago Public Schools Barbara Byrd-Bennett, the decision will not only save the district money, it will also improve the Chicago Public Schools system. Many of the public schools in Chicago are under performing. By closing schools, the district can devote more resources to improving the overall quality of instruction and providing students with the resources they need to experience success. Programs such as art, music, and physical education are also more likely to stay on the schedule because the district will have more resources to fund them. The Chicago Public School district has closed nearly 100 schools since 2001, and the practice of closing schools is not limited to Chicago. Philadelphia, home to the eighth-largest school district in the United States, recently decided to close 23 schools to clear up budget issues of its own. However, Chicago’s decision to close so many schools at once represents the largest school closure decision in the country. Many of the schools being closed are located in predominantly African-American neighborhoods. In fact, the number of middle-class African-Americans leaving the Chicago Public School district has been cited as the cause of the general decline of the Chicago Public Schools’ student population. Opponents argue however that the move will hurt the African-American students who remain in the district and, in some cases, jeopardize their safety. In most cases, children will still be able to walk to their new schools, but they may have to walk farther and that longer distance may require young children to cross gang lines, putting them in danger. Parents and other protesters were also angered that Chicago Public Schools officials did not listen to their concerns. However, Byrd-Bennett did make changes to the initial proposal before the board approved the closings. Instead of the original 53 schools being closed, only 49 schools will shut their doors and at least one school not slated to be closed will be moved to make it closer to all students it plans to serve. Still, those opposed to the plan hope it will be reversed. Two federal lawsuits claim that the plan would violate the Americans with Disabilities Act by disrupting special education services and that the plan in general would violate Illinois Civil Rights law. For now, the last day of school during the 2012-2013 school year will also be the day many of Chicago’s schools close their doors. Another school will close its doors at the end of the 2013-2014 school year, leaving Chicago Public Schools with 49 fewer schools.