A Chicago City Colleges Board plan to increase emphasis on basic and vocational classes is a scheme to ”create slavery again,” charged an Illinois state legislator Monday, as several other officials called for more public hearings on the plan.
”It`s to create slavery again. That`s the objective,” charged state Rep. Monique Davis (D-Chicago) at a City Hall news conference Monday attended by several Chicago aldermen and black elected state officials.
Although Davis` accusations were the most strident, other officials joined her argument that an emphasis on vocational training classes and a reduction in academic courses would reduce the chances of African-Americans and other minorities to pursue advanced college careers.
State Rep. William Shaw (D-Chicago) said he plans to call legislative hearings this week to question City Colleges board members about their plans. Singled out for criticism was Ron Gidwitz, head of the Helene Curtiss cosmetics company who was named by Mayor Richard Daley last year to revamp the eight-school city college system to make it more responsive to the needs of the economy.
”I have no problem with vocational education,” said state Sen. Howard Brookins (D-Chicago). ”But a lot of these students are going to city colleges with the hope of continuing on in other colleges for a four-year degree.”
At issue was a decision by the City Colleges board last week to abruptly cancel more than 130 scheduled classes that Gidwitz said were not operating at full class size.
Gidwitz said Monday that several of the classes canceled last week had been restored, and, in most cases, the cancellations were of class times rather than subjects.
He also denied that his main goal was to make the system primarily a vocational training program.
”We have a multiple mission,” he said, saying the colleges system attempts to provide academic education for freshmen and sophomores; vocational and technical training for career preparations; and remedial work for adults and those for whom English is a second language.
”We are not doing it well,” said Gidwitz, saying the restructuring of the system is designed to increase effectiveness at all three levels.
Ald. Robert Shaw (9th) said the classes canceled were of the more traditional academic nature, while classes geared to job training were kept and expanded.
”The board is trying to force vocational training on minorities,” said Shaw, twin brother of Rep. Shaw.
Ald. Shaw also questioned the board`s decision to establish an entrance examination for incoming students to determine if they have the educational skills to attend college classes.
Most critical of the emphasis on vocational skills was Davis, who charged that the reform plan was a calculated move to deprive blacks of advanced educational degrees.
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”It`s a scheme to reduce the number of African-Americans who want to get an education,” Davis said. ”He (Gidwitz) has no educational background. We would appreciate his being out.”
Brookins said the cancellation of the 134 classes disrupted the college planning of current students, who were counting on taking academic classes with an eye toward transferring to other schools.