Angela Stich

Early in Michael Moore's film "Fahrenheit 9/11," a startling sequence depicts members of the Black Congressional Caucus seeking to invalidate the Electoral College decision that gave Bush the presidency in 2000. In order for the floor to be opened to debate, at least one senator would have to sign on--and not a single senator does so. One by one, the Caucus members condemn the black voter disenfranchisement as Vice President Gore shuts them down.

Such is the atmosphere at the November Chicago School Board meeting, which is overwhelmingly dominated by public criticism of Mayor Daley's controversial Renaissance 2010 plan, approved in September, which aims to create 100 mainly private schools out of about seventy "failing" schools, in addition to closing twenty Mid-South schools.

"Renaissance 2010 is the dismantling of public education as we've known it over the past 100 years," says Chicago Teachers Union representative Marilyn Stewart, who criticizes the plan to replace public schools with charter schools as anti-union.

"When schools close, low-income students are displaced," says Mid-South resident Jay Travis, speaking on behalf of the Kenwood Oakland Community Organization, or KOCO. Travis addresses KOCO's concerns that the local school councils will be dissolved.

"This is a citywide effort to look at chronic underperforming schools," responds board president Michael Scott before Travis is turned away from the microphone.

The overwhelmingly African-American audience becomes increasingly vocal when local school council representatives Derrick Harris and Gilda Walker speak to the board. Both accuse the board of ignoring the community's opposition to the Mid-South plan.

"You have voted 5-0 in favor of Renaissance 2010 despite community opposition," Harris accuses. Walker draws applause from the audience when she tells the board they are pushing children out of public school and into the penal system after she is told her time to speak is up.

Travis approaches the podium a second time with KOCO Board Chairman Aaron "Jitu" Brown, who reiterates KOCO's concerns that Renaissance 2010 is displacing underprivileged children.

"To tell you the truth, I'm not even sure what KOCO stands for," responds Scott, bringing the audience to a dull roar.

"WHAT KOCO STANDS FOR is an organization which works with low income families and lobbies for their interests," Travis snaps back before storming away from the podium toward a cheering audience. Scott denies Brown's accusations that he is being disrespectful. "I was speaking out of ignorance," Scott explains before Brown is turned away from the microphone.

"Oh now it's on," Brown shouts toward the board members as he approaches his seat in the audience. "We tried to be civil, but now we're talking about civil disobedience."

The group from KOCO leaves the boardroom to gather in the hall. They talk about being ignored at previous meetings, but this meeting, Travis says, was an attack they took personally.

"This is a problem of continuous disrespect," she says as she turns to leave.

(2004-11-22)

Also by Angela Stich

Everyday low wages
A handful of Wal-Mart managers have come to Women and Children First Bookstore to challenge the claims of Liza Featherstone, who is reading from her book "Selling Women Short: The Landmark Battle for Workers' Rights at Wal-Mart."
(2004-11-17)

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