Meeks wants to enlist Olympic backers to help schools
State Sen. James Meeks (D-Chicago) on Friday pressured business leaders who have bankrolled Chicago's 2016 Olympic bid to put their money and political muscle behind a more important cause: improving public schools.
Meeks showed up at a breakfast meeting of the Executives' Club of Chicago—not to confront featured speaker and Chicago 2016 Chairman Pat Ryan, but to enlist Ryan's help in the battle to correct the school funding disparity between rich and poor districts.
To diffuse a potential confrontation, Ryan agreed to answer a written question from Meeks from the podium. The Chicago 2016 Chairman also chatted briefly with Meeks and agreed to meet with him again to discuss the subject in more detail.
Meeks came away satisfied.
“We didn't come here to be disruptive. We want to make sure that the business community is paying as much attention to the crisis we have in education as we are paying to the Olympics . He seemed to be sympathetic to that plight. That's all we could ask,” said Meeks, pastor of the massive Salem Missionary Baptist Church.
Asked if Mayor Daley's Olympic dream was diverting attention away from schools, Meeks said, “We can do both. This is a city where we have broad shoulders—where we have Cubs and White Sox. We have American League and National League. So, we can have great Olympics and great schools. But, we should have a commitment to do them both.”
Ryan said a business community that has supported Daley's Renaissance 2010 plan to re-invent failing schools is already investing private capital in improving public education. And so has the insurance magnate's family—by creating a charter school that's run by Ryan's eldest son.
As for Chicago's role as one of four finalists for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, Ryan said it's a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to encourage more young people to get involved in sports that may improve their school performance.
“If we win, there'll be a surplus created where we can really invest serious capital like Los Angeles did to the perpetuation of [youth recreation] programs,” he said.
Meeks has long championed a tax swap, only to come up empty in Springfield. It would trade an increase in the state income tax for lower property taxes, leveling a playing field that has, effectively, discriminated against black and Hispanic students.
If the business community gets behind the effort like they have for Chicago's Olympic bid, the political outcome could be different, he said.
“Chicago is not just a host city. Chicago is home…Those of us who live here have to be concerned about what's left when the people from abroad leave. One of the things that will be left are poor schools,” he said.
Last week, Meeks cut short his opening week boycott of the Chicago Public Schools at the request of Gov. Blagojevich. The two men are now scheduled to meet on Monday.
Asked what he planned to talk to the governor about, Meeks said, “Keeping the promise that he made to sell or lease the lottery in 2006-using that money to fund education….I listened to the governor say the CTA broke its promise. Well, I'm anxious to talk to him about the 2006 promise that he would use the lottery for education money…The House and the Senate have agreed to sell or lease the lottery. I say, let's use the money for education.”