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| EMANUEL: Developing an "army?" |
Students
in uniform, marching in formation. Learning some semblance of discipline that
supposedly will make them better people in life.
I DON’T DOUBT that some people could better their lot in life through some form
of regimentation. Although I’m skeptical that having people march about is
necessarily going to accomplish much – unless the resources are put into the
school to make it a worthy educational facility.
And
that could just as easily be done without the military theme.
The
key to comprehending this idea for a revamped school (currently, it is the Ames
Middle School up on North Hamlin Avenue) is that it is NOT a military academy.
Its
students won’t have any military obligation upon graduation. The kinds of
activities offered at the school are, theoretically, the same as at any other
high school.
OR
AT LEAST any other high school that is underfunded and is in a community that
is borderline struggling!
Under
Emanuel’s plan, the Ames School would be expanded to make it into a
full-fledged high school (not just the 7th and 8th grades
anymore). Supposedly, there is about $7 million available through funds from
tax increment finance districts that could pay for the cost of the transition.
The
Chicago Sun-Times this week reported on the fact that some parents in Logan
Square are upset about the change. They think it was just sprung on them. They
would have liked some input into the decision.
Although
being a “take charge” kind of guy is the image that Emanuel likes to portray of
himself. Not exactly the kind of person who wants to spend time sitting in
committees with parents who want to start micro-managing the number of stripes
that will be worn on students’ uniforms.
IT
SEEMS THEY have the support of the Chicago Teachers Union. Although the fact
that union President Karen Lewis would be critical of Emanuel is so
non-surprising.
The
only real question is why didn’t she take the lead of this particular crusade?
In
making his argument, Emanuel has officials who say that many parents in Chicago
want the military school option. The Sun-Times reported there has been a
237-percent increase since 2005 in the number of Chicago Public Schools
students who try to get themselves into a military-themed academy.
I
don’t doubt that is true. The reality is that there are many mediocre- to
poor-performing schools in the Chicago Public Schools system. The number of
worthy students is larger than the number of slots in the school facilities
that really do offer high-quality programs.
THERE
PROBABLY ARE parents who will send their children anywhere except the
neighborhood school that suffers the same problems as its surrounding community.
Even
if it means putting on a uniform that is more detailed than khaki-colored pants
and a button-up shirt.
Perhaps
it is the image too many of us have received from years of watching television
programs where a kid who misbehaves is threatened with the “punishment” of
being shipped off to military school. Remember the episode of “The Sopranos”
where actor Robert Iler’s “A.J.” character hears the school commandant go on
and on about the marching and the drill and the lack of television time?
I’m
just not convinced that it makes THAT much of a difference for the students who
wind up at such schools.
IF
ANYTHING, THERE are students who might need more discipline (and by that, I don’t
mean being smacked around) in their daily ritual. Although I think that is
something that best should come from the parent(s); not from the school.
If
Emanuel thinks he’s about to revamp our future by having more school children
marching about, I’d say he overestimates conditions. About all he’s likely to
get is a batch of future parades where the military veterans watch these kids
and say, “They can’t march worth squat!”
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