Flooding the Schools with Children – Differences in Approach

It just occurred to me that there is a local angle to the call of the Rev. and St. Sen. James Meeks

(Ind.-, then D-Chicago, then running for governor, then not)

for Chicago children to apply for admittance to suburban schools on the first day of class.

I suggested a similar tactic to Rockford Catholic Bishop Thomas Doran.

Joe Bast, head of the Heartland Institute, and I met with Doran in the mid-1990’s to solicit his support for portable scholarships for Illinois students. You might refer to such scholarships as “vouchers.”

He was favorably inclined, as you might imagine. The grasp of the political process he demonstrated led me to think it was similar to what a ward committeeman might have.

I suggested immense pressure could be brought to bear on the legislators who would have to approve such legislation by merely sending the parochial school students to the public school they would otherwise attend.

Imagine how school boards and administrators might react if all Catholic grade school sent all of its students to the public school they would otherwise legally attend.

Think of what the reaction might be if all students from Crystal Lake’s St. Thomas, the Apostle, School showed up at West, South, North, Coventry, Canterbury, Glacier Ridge, and Indian Prairie Elementary Schools.

Multiply that statewide.

Maybe the transfer students could be pried in, but the action would definitely cause serious problems.

And any problems would be more than the one day of publicity that Meeks is promoting.

Bisphop Doran’s reaction was one of concern for his students.

It was something like, “We can’t do that. It would hurt the students.”

How different is that approach to what Meeks is promoting.

To their credit not all of Chicago’s inner city ministers are not lining up behind Meeks.

Meeks has floated an open enrollment process

What’s that?

“…allowing students to attend any public school in the state regardless of whether it is part of the school district where they live.”

If only Meeks had the courage to introduce and advocate a portable scholarship plan!

Then, private schools would start near the public schools. You can buy a lot of private school education for the $10,000 a year Chicago Public Schools spend.

Chicago schools would have the ability to compete for the favor of the students’ parents.

And we know what competition does.

Chicago schools could hardly get worse.

= = = = =
The Chicago Sun-Times headline from two years ago shows, State Senator James Meeks is adroit at getting headlines.


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *