The Real Education Status Quo Disrupter

In order for students to succeed they have to be placed in an environment that reflects succeeding, Chicago Public Schools are not that environment.

A recent editorial in the Chicago Tribune by the editorial team discussed the new initiative/idea that Mayor Rahm Emanuel wants to be put into effect. Starting in 2020 high school students will be required to compose a post graduation plan in order to receive their diploma. High school students will have to provide proof that they have been accepted in to a college, the military, a trade or gap-year program, job offers are acceptable as well. If they do not provide this “plan” the will not receive a diploma.

Emanuel’s belief that “ If you change expectations, its not hard for the kids to adapt” was praised by the editors and it comes across as though they are describing this initiative as the mayor disrupting the status quo in education solutions.

Although I see this as a great step in the initiative to get students to think more about their future and their education, I believe the big picture is still missing.

I grew up on the west side of Chicago and attended Chicago public schools as well as a private school in the city. My freshman year I moved out to the suburbs and then transferred to the local high school.

There is absolutely no way a person can tell me that there isn’t a difference in the school systems in the urban inner-city compared to the suburbs.

Growing up my classroom was always so packed with students, I can not recall of any instance where the textbook that I was using was brand new and not old run down with missing pages, and often containing some artistic, I use that word very loosely, writings of previous students that possessed it before me.

My elementary school building was literally as old as dirt. Bathroom sinks and doors were always broken or barely hanging on by a thread. There was only ONE main computer lab the entire school used and when we took computer classes the systems had to be shared with a classmate. Summers were another story, ac was nonexistent.

My school experience slightly improved because my mother, who has been teaching in CPS for almost 20 years, saw that I was capable enough of testing into one of the local private schools. But no improvement can compare to the transition I experienced when we moved to the suburbs.

My books were new, hallway walls were painted, locker actually functioned fully with locks already provided, there was always more than enough desks for every student as class sizes were way smaller, I had never seen so many computer labs with new, working computers in my life, we had advisors that actually talked to us about our classes and futures.

The point I am trying to make here is that yes, giving these students requirements like creating a plan, will help their educational experience but the overarching problem still exists.  Funds make all the difference.

CPS students make up 20 percent of the state’s enrollment and yet the students only receive 15 percent of the states total funding. In order to genuinely create change in the educational system and CPS the students have to feel like someone is investing in them.

The first hand experience I represent in this writing is how majority of the children in CPS feel. Lack of remolding, supplies, personal connection, all contribute to a negative outlook on education and participating in it. You would be surprised at how test scores, passing ratings, and pursuit of goals after high school increase if these children were provided the suburban educational environment.