In Chicago, teachers' unions and community agitators are howling over Renaissance 2010, Mayor Richard Daley's plan to remake the school system by closing consistently troubled schools, reopening others as charters, and rolling back regulations that stifle education innovation. (As part of the plan, some of the 50-100 new schools to be opened would be district-sponsored charter schools, a complicated matter for the charter movement that we discuss above.) Various activist types are up in arms, especially about the future of local school councils, or LSCs, which may not be part of the governance structure of the new schools. About the fate of LSCs, we care not a bit. About the impact the plan may have on charter schooling, see the editorial above. About the necessity of doing something to shake up Chicago's worst schools, we have no doubt, and we hope Mayor Daley goes even further in his reforming effort.
"Chicago hope: 'Maybe this will work,'" by Amanda Paulson, Christian Science Monitor, September 21, 2004
"Teachers union comes out against mayor's school plan," by Rosalina Rossi, Chicago Sun-Times, September 21, 2004