So the huge blowup of the Chicago Public Schools Closings vote is on TV today - they’re voting as I type.
As they call out the schools, they say “EX 8 (or whatever number)” of the school - what does the EX stand for? It’s making my husband crazy, and therefore me.
Yes. This is what we have been watching on TV. ALL DAY. But that’s a pit thread, isn’t it? 
Title edited, and thread moved to SD Chicago.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
Thank you, Colibri! 
I don’t have an answer to your question, but it did prompt a follow-up question in my mind. Not wanting to thread-drift, I held my tongue. But it’s been two days, so here is my follow-up:
The City is broke. And Rahm, bless his little ballet-dancing heart, is trying to save money by consolidating under-utilized schools. What is his reward? Hundreds of cry-babies complaining, “don’t take MINE away from me!”
Is this the reason Chicago (and every other major city, not to mention the state and the country) is broke? Because everyone on the receiving end of government cheese cries like a stuck pig if you try to take back the funding they don’t really need anymore? Or do these whiners really have a good point that they NEED to keep these schools open for some reason?
Well think about it, if the neighborhood school goes down then the kids will have to go to another one at a further distance. Schools will be overcrowded some more and said kids MIGHT need to pay for bus fair, and that could mean bad news for families who can’t afford it even at the reduced price. Don’t forget about the fired staff too, it’s not just teachers losing jobs. Security guards, cafeteria ladies, counselours and all those who work behind the scenes get screwed too. At least that’s how I see
This isn’t about saving money. This is about punishing the teachers union for daring to go out on strike.
I think only the teacher’s union thinks that.
sorry to chime in so late, but Cheryl44 has it NAILED. That’s EXACTLY why the closures. A few things to consider:
All studies done that Rahm Emanuel himself didn’t commission showed that the district will not save ANY money AT ALL by closing these schools. (Especially, IMHO, if they still keep running electricity. I live near the closed Trumbull, and every night there are lights on in there!)
Some of the schools closed, allegedly because of underuse, had over 90% occupancy.
Aaaand…NO HIGH SCHOOLS WERE CLOSED. Why did the teachers’ union go on strike last year? Because of problems in the contract that applied almost exclusively to NON-high schools. (Trust me on this; I have it from the best possible sources.)
It’s just disgusting that the Rahmbo is totally dissing education, crying poverty, yet he’s willing to hand over $60 million in taxpayer money to a PRIVATE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY to fund an athletic center, despite the United Center extending an offer to said private Catholic university to use UC for FREE for ten to fifteen years, and he’s giving Vienna Beef $5 million to assist them with their upcoming move to the south side. Oh…and Rahm Emanuel suddenly came up with enough money to give a pretty big chunk of principals thank-you bonuses for having students improve their grades and attendance.
Don’t have the funding? Ya gotta fight the governor to get your funding. Keep closing schools and laying off teachers, you’re going to have classroom sizes that go over the legal maximum. (Oh, wait, that’s already been happening.)
My recollection is that there was expert testimony that the closures would lead to more children killed in gang shootings, since they would be crossing unfamiliar boundaries. How has that worked out? Has that concern been borne out?
The teacher’s union doesn’t think. It hasn’t a brain. It’s an organization.
I am not a member of the CTU, but I know this is about punishing union members.
So can we call Rahm Emanuel’s election as mayor the Peter Principle in action?