More Top Picks Best Rechargeable Headlamps
player ready...Rosa Collins’ 7-year-old daughter isn’t afraid of the bogyman or hungry green gremlins hiding under her bed during the night.
It’s the sound of bullets that provoke, for her, the kind of fear that make-believe monsters can’t scare up.
“She complains about the gunfire that she hears all times of the day,” said Collins of her Jenner School 2nd grader. “It’s disruptive to her concentration. And I believe it affects her performance. Instead of listening to the teacher, she’s listening for gunfire. Something really needs to be done.”
Chicago Public Schools chief Paul Vallas agrees, and met at school headquarters Thursday with about 100 parents from Jenner, 1009 N. Cleveland Ave., to discuss a possible relocation of the 575 students.
Vallas said workers are preparing to reopen Mulligan School, 1900 N. Sheffield Ave., within two to three weeks as an alternative site.
“We do not want to go through another year of distractions at Jenner,” said Vallas. “The only thing that would keep us from moving is commitments from the Chicago Housing Authority, the police department and community leaders that will permanently change the status quo around the neighborhood.”
“It is my decision to make, but I want community support,” he said. “If about 125 parents want to move, we could operate a small school at Mulligan and leave the rest at Jenner. However, I would prefer we move all the students before we lose a life.”
Vallas will meet with Jenner parents and faculty again on the issue.
He said the major problem for Jenner has been the Cabrini-Green high-rise across the street at 500-502 W. Oak St. that residents said is a haven for drug and gang activity. Vallas met with CHA officials Wednesday and Thursday and received a commitment from the agency to have the building vacated within 60 to 90 days.
The CHA redevelopment plan for Cabrini-Green, unveiled in June 1996, called for the demolition of 8 of the complex’s 23 high-rises, including the 500-502 W. Oak building.
CHA spokeswoman Wynona Redmond said the building is now about 50 percent vacant. The CHA’s construction schedule, however, doesn’t call for its demolition until next summer.
Vallas renewed his consideration of a plan to relocate the school after a group of Jenner 8th graders witnessed a shooting in a nearby parking lot during a day of sporadic gunfire last week.
School board officials first discussed relocating the school last March after another episode of gunfire outside the school but put the plan on hold at the request of Jenner officials and community leaders.
When asked about the Jenner situation Thursday, Mayor Richard Daley said, “That is something we keep telling the community. Why can’t you identify those individuals who are shooting at your children? Why don’t you work with us to do something about it?”
But many parents at the school board disputed Daley’s claim that they have failed to cooperate.
“The problems we are having in our community have been happening for years,” said Candy King, the mother of a 1st grader at Jenner.”