Play/protest for pay in the windy city



Recent demonstrations supporting the closure of "under-performing" schools have drawn scrutiny from the teacher's union membership and others. The Rev. Roosevelt Watkins III, leader of Englewood's HOPE organization advocates these closing and has allegedly paid folks a "training stipend"  of $25 to hop on the bus and get out there and support shuttin' em' down. We don't recall any such tactics from Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals, nor do we remember cashing in on Civil Rights and Vietnam War protests during our college years. Perhaps the good reverend is trying to stimulate the economy in Chicago. Some protesters didn't have any idea as to why they were there or what they were protesting!

STORY: Paid To Protest? Chicago Schools Watchdog Investigating After Needy Residents Paid To Support Closures


Hydrochloric Acid Leak from School Pool




A vapor cloud in a pool at a Ill. high school...very safe for the swimmers out there. I mean firefighters had to wear protective suits, not bathing suits. They stopped the leak and ventillated the area, but there is no word of where the leak came from.


STORY: Hydrochloric acid leaks from Ill. high school pool


Drop in middle school enrollment




Aren't kids going to school now a days? Numbers of enrolled students for an Illinois middle school dropped by nearly 1,000 children. But no, it's not that they're not going, it's that there's not as many as there was, couples just made about 1,000 less babies than years prior. Administrators aren't scared though because this means more individualized attention per student.

Story: http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/roselle/features/x709128287/District-sees-drop-in-middle-school-enrollment


Schools profit with alpaca poop!

(TV's Jake Sasseville with an Alpaca)

An Illinois school booster club is going to be raising money by selling 30 lb. bags of alpaca poop as fertilizer. You might remember when a kindergarten teacher sent a bag of human poop home with a student (and later resigned) -- perhaps this would have been a better option and would have made them some money in the process.

STORY: School booster club plans to sell alpaca manure as a fundraiser


Toilet paper bomb threat prompts evacuation of school

Story: Toilet paper bomb threat prompts evacuation of Addison school

I guess the most troubling about this story, is the fact that someone is going around looking for secret messages on every piece of toilet paper they find. I guess I assume that most people would either flush it, or want nothing to do with it (assuming it most likely has poop on it). But now we can officially add "writing bomb threats" to a list of things people do while taking a crap.


Cops taser students for fun, leads to hospitalization

Story: Cops, school district investigating unsanctioned Taser demonstration by officer in which child was hospitalized

I am trying to think of a good reason why live taser demonstrations are a good tool to invite into classrooms. I wonder how many students are curious what a bullet feels like too? It must be tough as a parent when you're expecting your child to bring home a good report card, but instead they have burn wounds from electrical shocks.


25 Chicago Students Arrested for a Middle-School Food Fight

Story: 25 Chicago Students Arrested for a Middle-School Food Fight

It had all the elements of a real arrest: handcuffs, mugshots, eight hours in jail, and a future court hearing. The only thing missing was real criminals. When you hear that 25 were arrested in Chicago, you assume some sort of gang fight broke out at a downtown nightclub. But no, it was a FOOD FIGHT involving 12-year-olds! Now I'm not saying to let everyone off the hook, but why are we so quick to criminalize kids? I'd love to see some research that correlates data from the emergence of 'zero-tolerance' with graduation rates.


Illinois Teacher Suspended After Assignment Involving Homosexuality

Story: Illinois Teacher Suspended After Assignment Involving Homosexuality

If the teacher was forcing kids to be gay and read graphic stories about homosexual encounters, I could see why some parents might protest. The fact is, it was an OPTIONAL reading assignment from a science magazine about homosexuality in the animal kingdom. Homophobic parents threw their arms up trying to get this guy out of the classroom. It always nice to know some moms and dads want to make sure their kids grow up being close-minded.


Boy, 5, sleepwalked to his school at night

Story: Boy, 5, sleepwalked to his school at night

Sometimes, you just can't get enough of school.


900 kids out sick at St. Charles East High


Story: School To Shut Down After Major Flu Outbreak

When close to 50% of the student body is out sick with the flu, it's time to shut things down and lock the doors for a few days. You gotta wonder what kind of health precautions this school was taking to let it get this bad. Maybe hand soap didn't make the budget this year? In a related note, the local malls are anticipating a leap in sales during the next five days.


1 Of 8 Girls Pregnant At Chicago High School

Story: Why Are 1 Of 8 Girls Pregnant At Robeson High?

1 out of 8 translates to 115 pregnant teens at this school. Either the girls in this town are sex-crazed, or the boys can't miss. And then you gotta crunch some numbers and wonder how many of the 115 are from the same guy. It might be time for this principal to look into some type of grant to receive a cargo of free condoms. Either way, I think we all need to thank Jamie Lynn Spears for making teen pregnancy cool again.


Teacher Accused of Making Anti-Gay Remarks in Class

Story: Teacher Accused of Making Anti-Gay Remarks in Class

The teacher now says he doesn't want to offend anyone, but you can see why some people might get upset when he began a classroom rant claiming that too much of our tax dollars are going towards "black fags." Hey Mr. Burke, why don't you tell us how you really feel. I guess our tax dollars are also paying salaries for racist, homophobic public school teachers.Italic


VIDEO: Gang Beats Honor Student to Death



Story: Teen Attacked, Beaten to Death in Melee

A Chicago honor student was beaten to death by gang members wielding wooden boards after school outside Fenger High School. Just one month into the school year, gang violence has flared up several times. This week it came to a head when 16 year old Derrion Albert got caught up in the melee and was beaten to death. Allegedly there were two police officers sitting in a squad car watching the this all take place who claim to have been 'waiting for backup'. Police have yet to identify the person responsible for the murder.

Warning, the video is GRAPHIC.


Fox Lake teacher paid students with drugs, alcohol

Story: Fox Lake teacher paid students with drugs, alcohol

The teacher was going to let some 14-year old girls learn the value of a hard-earned-dollar by giving them some chores to do around her house. But instead of paying them with cash, she thought they would benefit better with weed, booze, and prescription pills. Do you have to claim illegal substances on your year-end tax earnings?


Guns, Knives, and Fists: Rising trend in school?


About 6 months ago we did a report about school safety. After reading these recent headlines, we're starting to wonder if we should have bitten our tongue. Are teens becoming more violent in school? Or do they just not fear consequences? Check out these stories and decide:

Story: Pregnant NC teen fatally shot at school bus stop

Story: Student killed in fight at Florida school

Story: Dispute over seat sparked attack on school bus


Boy, 5, on wrong bus dropped off miles from home

Story: Boy, 5, on wrong bus dropped off miles from home

It is easy to understand how a 5-year old can get on the wrong bus and be dropped off miles from his home when responsible adults aren't doing their job. Hope he had some cab money to get home.


Police say officer left handgun in school bathroom


This is how easy it is to get a handgun into a Chicago school?! Cops are dropping them for kids to find like Easter eggs.


Chicago cop shoots teen after school break in

Story: Chicago cop shoots teen after school break in


Now even police officers are shooting down Chicago area students. The boy had a BB gun in his backpack while fleeing the scene. The cop claims it was pulled out, which is why he fired a round into his legs. It sounds like marshal law in Chi-Town, which kind of helps explain a lot. It's gonna take more than Kanye West to fix these problems. Maybe, say, Michael Jordan?


Kanye West holds concert for improving students

(Image from Kanye's LAX airport fight, which lead to his arrest)

There's no one more inspiring than someone who boastfully named his album "College Dropout." Although Kanye has had his fair share of legal problems, hopefully he can be the answer to ending Chicago's education woes. It's not that the students don't want to graduate, it's just that many of them get shot before they have the chance. So listen kids, stay in school and one day you'll be fortunate enough to spend thousands of dollars on designer shirts and shoes.


District bans file-sharing devices from its schools

Story: Dist. 204 bans file-sharing devices from its schools


MP3 players, cell phones, iPods...these gadgets are not going anywhere. Schools are blaming technology for a rise in bullying, and using it as its scapegoat for this district-wide ban. Let's consider this idea- Maybe school is becoming increasingly boring because it is not adapting to the needs of 21st century students, so children are left with no other choice but to allow text messaging to distract them in class. The resources ARE available to connect with this culture, it's just a matter of convincing stubborn administration to implement these tools.


 
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