The Chicago Public Schools have made much progress from the days when it was regarded as one of the worst school districts in the nation. It has embraced change and adopted charter schools and other educational innovations that have helped to improve many
The Chicago Public Schools have made much progress from the days when it was regarded as one of the worst school districts in the nation. It has embraced change and adopted charter schools and other educational innovations that have helped to improve many schools.
But the majority of the students of Chicago Public Schools still sit in classrooms that are overcrowded and under-funded. The schools have a 50 percent dropout rate for Black students. The district seems to have no idea how to keep their students safe, and deaths of students have totaled in the dozens. Enrollment in the district continues to sink as parents of school-aged children find other educational alternatives and vote with their feet.
These are problems that require a seasoned educator, someone who has a vested interest in the needs of the students and taxpayers of Chicago. They are problems that require someone with experience in education, not just an ability to meet a budget. They require more than a manager whose chief qualification seems to be that the mayor likes him.
Make no mistake. Ron Huberman is a terrible choice to head the Chicago Public Schools. He not only has no educational experience, but he brings precious little managerial success with him. His tenure with the Chicago Transit Authority has not earned him kudos. He has presided over a bloated bureaucracy that threatened fare increases during his entire tenure, finally delivering one this year. Under his watch, CTA warned of draconian service cuts that would have crippled businesses and left many workers without a way to their jobs.
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