The in box. Karen Lewis writes the Sun-Times. « Fred Klonsky

The in box. Karen Lewis writes the Sun-Times. « Fred Klonsky:

The in box. Karen Lewis writes the Sun-Times.

by Fred Klonsky

Dear Editor,
 
The Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is so cash-strapped that it plans to close and consolidate under-utilized schools, with rumors that it could be upwards of 120 schools this coming year. Many people would consider this to be fiscally prudent.  Mayor Emanuel is of course going to blame the soon-to-be agreed upon new union contract.
 
What the public does not understand, however, even though both the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times have been writing about it for months, is that CPS is also simultaneously planning to open 60 new charter schools in the next few years.  That decision was made last year under the “Gates Compact” in which CPS went into an agreement with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to increase charter schools in Chicago.