While Chicago Public Schools officials have been trading barbs with the state over the district’s budget woes, speakers at two public hearings Monday on the district’s latest budget plan found plenty to criticize on both sides.
The hearings at CPS headquarters, which followed $104 million in spending reductions the district outlined last week, provided a forum for speakers to vent on broader issues, including Gov. Bruce Rauner and the state’s education funding formula.
"Mr. Rauner, you have an opportunity to help change the struggles against discriminatory funding on education in the state of Illinois," said Matthew Johnson, who was chairman of a district-appointed parent advisory board formed to weigh in on No Child Left Behind programs. "Mr. Rauner, no parent should stand here and beg for adequate funding."
Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis added the city’s school board and Mayor Rahm Emanuel in her critique.
Budget cut protest Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune Chicago Public Schools student Sabah Hussain protests budget cuts Feb. 13, 2017, in front of the Thompson Center. Chicago Public Schools student Sabah Hussain protests budget cuts Feb. 13, 2017, in front of the Thompson Center. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
"We have to make all kinds of choices, but when you make choices that hurt people, you have to be held accountable for that," Lewis said. "That’s one of the problems of having an appointed school board and having mayoral control. Waiting for Gov. Rauner’s cold, evil heart to melt, to me, is just a waste of time and energy when you’ve got things you could be doing."
Lewis called on district CEO Forrest Claypool and the city to come up with more ways to fund schools. "We have to figure out a way to do this, and it cannot be by just cuts. You cannot cut your way to a good school system," Lewis said.
After first approving a $5.6 billion operating budget in August, the board voted to amend the plan in December to account for $55 million in new expenses related to its agreement with the CTU.
Rauner’s veto of a measure that would have sent $215 million to the district led CPS to again rethink its budget. The district’s now-$5.4 billion operating budget assumes the state will instead send $111 million to ease the cost of the district’s rising pension payment. "If it is not received, CPS will take additional cost-saving steps," the budget says.
Republicans cry foul over CPS chief’s letter to parents Juan Perez Jr.
Chicago’s Republican Party chairman filed an ethics complaint with the Chicago Public Schools inspector general Wednesday alleging district CEO Forrest Claypool improperly used taxpayer resources to deliver a “blatantly political letter” to parents this week.
“It was misusing taxpayer money for…
Chicago’s Republican Party chairman filed an ethics complaint with the Chicago Public Schools inspector general Wednesday alleging district CEO Forrest Claypool improperly used taxpayer resources to deliver a “blatantly political letter” to parents this week.
“It was misusing taxpayer money for…
(Juan Perez Jr.)
CPS principals had until Monday to balance their school budgets after the district announced a $46 million "spending freeze" as part of its latest bid to cover for state assistance that has not arrived as expected.
Some speakers at Monday’s hearings complained that certain schools will have to bear the brunt of the spending freeze.
"This freeze has resulted in depleting entirely all the funds that were put away for curriculum, resources in every subject area. There is no money left for after-school programming or staff development," said Huu Nguyen, a local school council member at Goethe Elementary and member of the Raise Your Hand for Illinois Public Education advocacy group.
"We don’t have to worry about President No. 45 and the governor attacking our families, because our own CEO (and) our own board are doing this job for them," she said.
Rauner’s education secretary last week complained in a letter to CPS parents that the cuts are being laid out even as lawmakers work on proposals that include more money for the system. The prospects for that sweeping series of legislation are still uncertain
The letter from Beth Purvis was matched by one sent to parents by Claypool, who put the district’s financial problems at Rauner’s feet.
One parent had clearly had enough of the finger-pointing.
"While I don’t condone the actions of Springfield, I was disappointed to see how Mr. Claypool characterized the current budget situation that CPS is once again faced with," said David Tilson, a CPS parent and head of a fundraising arm for Pierce Elementary.
"I suggest we stop blaming others for problems past (and) present governors, legislators, executives, courts and mayors have created — and get to work creating sustainable solutions for the structural and financial challenges of our communities, and within CPS," Tilson said.
School board members are expected to vote Feb. 22 on spending reductions reached through school spending freezes, furloughs and other cuts.
jjperez@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @PerezJr
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