RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Chicago Public Schools will phase out three South Side high schools over three years rather than abruptly closing them in June of 2018 and will allow current students to graduate; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of this announcement by Alderman Edward M. Burke; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago Public Schools had originally announced the closures as it heralded plans to build a new $85 million high school on the campus of Robeson High School located at 6835 South Normal Avenue, which is slated to open in the fall of 2019; and
WHEREAS, The original plan called for closing all of the schools after this year but the closure plan drew complaints from community activists and leaders at a series of meetings; and
WHEREAS, Under the revised plan, Harper, Hope and Team Englewodd high schools will remain operating until current freshman graduate according to Chicago Public Schools Chief Executive Officer Janice Jackson; and
WHEREAS, No new freshman will be admitted to the schools being phased out which are among the City's most under-enrolled; and
WHEREAS, Chicago Teachers Union Vice President Jesse Sharkey praised the decision in a statement and credited "enormous pressure from parents, students, teachers and local residents"; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and the members of the Chicago City Council, assembled this twenty-eighth day of February, 2018, do hereby congratulate the leadership of the Chicago Public Schools on its sensitivity and responsiveness in listening to public concerns and amending their plan for high school closures in the Englewood community; and