“It should be the norm that every single student in this country is guaranteed a quality education no matter where they live, which tax bracket their family might fall into, or their race. And it’s unfortunate that it has to be argued so often and politicized.”

 – Genel Fowler 

Greetings Craig,

Local School Council (LSC) Elections are being held on Wednesday, April 10th, for Elementary Schools and Thursday, April 11, 2024, for High Schools.

Although the general community, which includes COAL, receive very little information from CPS leading up to LSC Elections, COAL encourages the community to vote for LSCs for schools within your respective area, should you have the time and interest (and we should). And, importantly, to those of you who are well-informed and engaged, it is imperative that you do vote. For many, there will be multiple schools for which you can cast votes.

Please note that as we focus on improving public education in Chicago, LSCs are another area of concern requiring our community's attention. There are issues such as:

• Improving CPS transparency, communication and engagement with the community - information on LSC Elections, as one example, is poorly disseminated;
• Advocating for LSCs having / retaining the authority required to effectively provide school governance as intended (see responsibilities below);
• Providing mechanisms for LSCs to challenge CPS overriding LSC decisions;
• Reversing the Mayor's unilateral decision to eliminate School Resource Officer (SRO)s and making this an LSC decision for its respective school (please read Principal Morrow's commentary below);
• Ensuring every school has a fully functioning LSC; and
• Ensuring each LSC receives the training required to effectively carry out its responsibilities.
• 
  

COAL commits, point-forward, to doing its part towards our community being better-informed on all things LSC and adding this to its Education agenda.

Our children deserve a quality education.

Respectfully,

COAL Board of Directors

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"The time to work seriously and collectively, to improve the state of our Community, is upon us..."

Let Us be intentional in all aspects of the Work that must be done.

WHAT IS A LOCAL SCHOOL COUNCIL (LSC)?

LOCAL SCHOOL COUNCIL ELECTIONS

INFORMATION / OPINION on the ISSUE

About COAL

COAL is an umbrella organization founded by 13 of Chicago's historic African American mens clubs. COAL's overarching mission is to identify, examine, illuminate and find resolution to issues impacting the greater community. We strive to use our collective experience, expertise and resources to improve the quality of opportunity, quality of preparedness and the quality of outcomes (expressed as 'quality of life') for our Community.

What We Believe

The Coalition of African American Leaders believes that it is important to examine the critical issues confronting the African American community where injustice, inequality and the absence of access and opportunity continue to prevail, thereby negatively impacting us as a people.

COAL is an assemblage that advocates and organizes for appropriate and responsible public policy change, system behavior change and equality of opportunity. We aim to achieve for all of our people the fullness of the life experience without any form of racism or exclusion as a deterrent.

We believe we must prepare ourselves for the opportunity of this full participation, thereby achieving the necessary education and training to participate.