Mitchell’s right: No more school excuses

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Updated: February 17, 2012 8:12AM

Parents and community leaders could not agree more with columnist Mary Mitchell [“No more excuses, seek better schooling for our kids,” Jan. 6]. The key to a brighter future for black males, and every other child in Chicago, is an improved public education system.

Unfortunately, thousands of children and their families still feel the same way today as Robert L. Carter did decades ago, and with good reason. Look at schools like Dyett High School or Price Elementary, which are both slated for closure under CPS’ proposed school actions plan. Dyett’s academic record is abysmal. The school was on probation for seven consecutive years. Only 10 percent of Dyett students meet state academic standards and more than 65 percent of students will not graduate in five years.

At Price Elementary, the students are younger, but the situation isn’t any better. The school has been on probation for four consecutive years and one out of two Price students is not meeting state standards on critical exams. Other schools in the community are outperforming Price by nearly 20 percent across the board. As Mitchell says, there are no excuses for these abysmal performance numbers. They aren’t the fault of any one person or group of people. We all need to make sacrifices and make the tough decisions necessary to help our kids.

It’s time for those who
consistently make excuses and protect a broken public education
system to step aside. We will all work together to hold the district and city accountable for the positive change they promise to bring to our children. For those who support our children and believe we can do better for them, there is no alternative.

Rev. Roosevelt Watkins, Founder, Pastors United for Change;

Rev. Leslie Sanders,

Rev. Walter Turner,

Pastor of New Spiritual Light
MB Church;

Rev. David Whittley

Pastor of Corinthian Temple Church of God in Christ

One way out of the pension mess would be to eliminate pensions for all elected state officials, retroactively. Those good-hearted state senators, representatives and governors created the mess, so let them be the first to suffer the consequences.

Ralph Moses, Golden Eagle