RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING LEGISLATURE & GOVERNOR TO
CREATE AN ELECTED CHICAGO SCHOOL BOARD
WHEREAS, In a non-binding referendum conducted in conjunction with this city's February 24, 2015 Municipal election, the voters of the 37 wards that were allowed to vote on the matter overwhelmingly supported the creation of an elected Chicago Board of Education; and
WHEREAS, 86% of those voting from Northwest Side neighborhoods of Ukrainian Village, Humboldt Park, Logan Square and Wicker Park decisively favored electing a school board who would be more responsive to their needs; and
WHEREAS, West side neighborhoods stretching from River North and West Loop to Austin polled more than 90% for an elected Board of Education; and
WHEREAS, In the South Side neighborhoods of Chatham, Auburh/Grisham, Englewood and Washington Park, the "Yes" votes for an elected school board in District 299 tallied at more than 92%; and
WHEREAS, None of the totals in the 37 wards voting in the referendum fell below an 82% approval rating. In fact, approval for an elected Chicago Board of Education polled higher than the total votes for the top two Aldermanic candidates in those wards in which the referendum was placed on the ballot. Even in two uncontested Aldermanic races, the approval for an elected school board outpolled the votes garnered by the incumbent candidates; and
WHEREAS, The demand ofthe taxpayers for an elected representative school board has grown even stronger since voters in 327 precincts approved a similar advisory referendum in the November, 2012 General Election by a very wide margin; and
WHEREAS, Under the guise of "reform", the currently appointed Board of Education has allowed class size to increase. Art, music, physical education and after-school activities have been diminished or eliminated altogether while senseless so-called "high-stakes" testing eats up more classroom learning time. The developmental models for pre-school and kindergarten curricula has been radically...
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