Progress Illinois

Yesterday’s public hearing for the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) proposal to close Martin Ryerson Elementary saw less than 10 attendees and only three speakers, leading one grandparent to believe the Humboldt Park community has resigned to the inevitable.

“People are giving up, CPS has made their mind up; I’m here speaking, but it’s not going to do any good,” said Katherine Wilson, a grandparent of three Ryerson students, ages 10, seven and four. She represented the only Ryerson parent or grandparent to attend yesterday's event.

“They say power to the parents, but we don’t have a voice in what CPS does.”

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Lisa Pugh, the Local School Council chairwoman at Pope Elementary School, walked down the 1900 block of South Troy Avenue directly behind the school, rattling off at least a dozen of her neighbors’ names.

Pugh has lived in her home, which was built in 1909, for more than 12 years. Other homes on the block are also more than a century old, and the residents work hard to keep them well maintained, she said on a windy Friday afternoon.

But the Chicago Public Schools plan to shut down Pope in June has left Pugh and other nearby residents wondering what will happen to their property values and their North Lawndale neighborhood if the building is left vacant.

“Like me, a lot of the property owners don’t want it to close because their property taxes are going into the school, and it’s ridiculous to see (CPS) want to close it down,” she said. Read more »

Parents and advocates in support of keeping West Pullman Elementary open called out Chicago Public Schools officials at a public hearing last night, asking if they've ever set foot in their school or its surrounding neighborhoods.

“Have you been there,” asked Susan Garza, a South Side resident and CPS counselor, after district representatives presented their case to the hearing officer. "Have you been to West Pullman? Because your portfolio is really impressive, but you haven't been there.” Read more »