School Spin on Community Violence

I'm taking a little time out today to give props to fellow blogger Alexander Russo
over at District 299, the blog about Chicago Public Schools. Alexander picked up an excellent point made by one of the many CPS insiders who comment on his blog, that the recent media coverage of youth violence has focused on the young people as Chicago Public Schools students even when the violent incidents did not happen on or near school grounds.

In an effort to support gun control, Mayor Daley and the Chicago Public Schools appear to have at least passively accepted, and possibly actively encouraged the media angle that links shootings and Chicago Public Schools together. Yet the gun control bills aren't going anywhere, and Alexander argues that the public image damage to the schools done by this association is much more long-lasting. Worth thinking about.

Scroll down the home page and check out the post "Why Is the Mayor of Chicago Destroying His Own School System? Why is the Press Letting Him?"

But I can't help throwing in a little local good news: looks like I have a second 8th-grader on her way to a high school other than Richards. She's got two options, Kennedy and the Perspectives Math & Science Academy. It'll be interesting to see which she chooses. She announced this over burgers at the Medici on 57th Street Saturday. Check back later this week for more, including our trip to the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago.