City In Illinois | Population | Percentage Black | Percentage White | Median Household Income | Median Home Price | Per Pupil School Funding | |
Chicago | 2,841,952 | 35.6% | 38.9% | $46,748 | $238,567 | $9,282 | |
Aurora | 174,276 | 11.06% | 68.07% | $59.919 | $171,683 | $8,165 W / $7,627 E | |
Rockford | 152,765 | 17.37% | 72.81% | $44,820 | $93,645 | $8,652 | |
Naperville | 143,850 | 3.54% | 80.00% | $95,942 | $311,205 | $9,806 | |
Joliet | 134,957 | 18.16% | 69.32% | $50,725 | $136,834 | $8,259 | |
Springfield | 115,975 | 15.34% | 81.01% | $51,298 | $112,300 | $8,550 | |
Cicero | 85,616 | 19.60% | 1.12% | $47,883 | $7,226 | ||
Peoria | 112,936 | 24.79% | 69.29% | $41,782 | $96,486 | $9,949 | |
Elgin | 98,586 | 6.80% | 70.49% | $59,771 | $187,290 | $8,296 | |
Waukegan | 92,695 | 19.21% | 50.14% | $46,868 | $147,928 | $8,830 | |
Decatur | 818,60 | 19.47% | 77.59% | $42,379 | $94,200 | $7,090 | |
State Average | $8,340 |
(Source: Demographics from Wikipedia. Per Student Spending from "GreatSchools.net")
And there we go folks.
The documented details for all to see.
A few months ago activists from Chicago chose to go to two of the wealthiest school districts in the state to complain about the school funding gap between CPS and these schools. What they should have done is a far more exhaustive study of the funding levels around the state. They would have seen that there are plenty of other school districts that have a less per student funding level than does CPS.
Thus - I cannot underscore the importance of having one side keep control of the narrative. Typically the consumer of their messages are too lazy to put the claim into the proper context.
Let me say - I am NOT saying that Chicago Public School don't need more money. I am not an expert on these schools and have never set foot in any of them. I can say that it was nothing more than a well scripted media event for them to choose to go to Northbrook and Winnetka rather than other school systems that are more representative of the funding levels in the state?
Shame on some of you this time.
What will it be the next time?
2 comments:
Constructive Feedback - I am really surprised by your statement that "the consumers of the messages are lazy" for not disagreeing with the education activists' selective use of facts. It is not "laziness".
Please understand what it has been like on the other side of these battles for years. If these activists demanding more money were a racial minority (and I'm assuming they likely were if this was regarding education in Chicago - not a stereotype as much as statistical probability), no politicians, school board members, etc, will openly disagree with them because of fears of automatically being accused of rascism, discrimination, and prejudice. Then Jesse Jackson is called in. The protests start. The liberally-biased media is there with their cameras....Get the picture? (For the record, the "racism" charges happen if the politician is white. If they're black, are they really going to argue publicly against more money for a primarily black school district?)
The other side has just learned the only viable option is to agree. This isn't a good thing, and some of us aren't fearful of the Political Correctness police, but elected officials are. Hopefully, this will change some day, I think it has gotten better.
Anonymous - I agree with you.
I will expand my response into a separate post.
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