Evanston/Skokie School District 65 has some difficult questions to grapple with over the next few months. Last year, a suggestion was made to create a new elementary school in the Fifth Ward that would serve students in the predominantly black area.
This would help students who are suffering academically to improve their performance. Right now, the Fifth Ward is the only ward without a school (besides the First Ward), forcing students to get their education elsewhere. A new school would not only reduce the need for busing students, but also it is the fair thing to do.
This year, the school board has the opportunity to put the proposal into action. That’s why it came as a shock last week when Hecky Powell, the only black member of the board, told the Coalition for African-American Equity that the plan may not fly because of financial constraints.
OK, budget woes can be a problem. But what else is new? District 65 has a history of operating at a deficit, mainly due to pressure from parents and community members not to cut programs. Establishing the new school, possibly at the Family Focus building, 2010 Dewey Ave., would run the district about $1.3 million — money that this year’s budget just doesn’t have.
But Superintendent Hardy Ray Murphy told the board Monday that he is expecting a $4.2 million state construction grant that could help cover expenses.
Another problem is deciding whether or not to enforce integration policies that say no more than 60 percent of any race may be represented in schools. A school aimed at helping Fifth Ward students most likely will not meet those guidelines. If the board rejects the policy, then it also may need to reassess it for the district’s other schools. On the other hand, implementing the policy may defeat the purpose of building a new school in the first place.
Right now, the proposal supports keeping racial guidelines.
So here’s my problem: Although racial integration standards promote diversity, the standards do not necessarily ensure students of different backgrounds will actually interact and learn from one another. I would argue that some segregation still exists, especially at the academic level. The gap between white and minority achievement continues to be a major issue for District 202, which houses Evanston Township High School. This gap can be minimized only if educators begin working with less successful students while they are still in elementary and middle school.
That is precisely what the Fifth Ward school could accomplish if board members choose to act responsibly and focus on a common goal. Will the new school benefit all students? Not really. Would foregoing racial guidelines be detrimental? Perhaps. Are there any easy answers? Of course not.
What’s important to keep in mind is that this plan has the potential to aid the students who need it most.
We have to start somewhere.
And we can’t expect the board to do it alone. About 60 people attended Monday’s board meeting to hear the proposal and voice their opinions. There will be a public forum at 7 p.m. on Oct. 16 at the Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center, 1655 Foster St.
If parents want officials to make the right decision, they need to get involved.
Assistant City Editor Naomi Kim is a Medill senior. She can be reached at [email protected].
