On Nov. 3, Chicago voters will be voting for a Chicago Board of Education president and all school board candidates, a folly created in the name of democracy. Ballots will show the district and candidates, but before that moment, many, if not most, voters will have no idea who these people are.
Fewer voters may mark the ballot, giving the edge to candidates backed by self-serving groups. The new board will be controlled by one of them, most likely the Chicago Teachers Union, by definition a group concerned about teacher benefits and rights. That’s not to say that others such as the Illinois Network of Charter Schools and the Service Employees International Union, which, like the CTU, are putting money and campaign workers into this election, have schoolchildren as their primary concern.
Any group that bargains with the school district should not be running it.
A smaller school board elected in a citywide election would have made sense. Mayors and their chosen board members have often failed the schools, but at least we knew who to blame for failures.
Member X from District X? Not likely.
— Roger Flaherty, Chicago
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Stacy Davis Gates’ myopia
Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates appears bound and determined to extract as much as she can from the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois at the expense of, well, pretty much everything else. She doesn’t seem concerned that the system for which she continually presses for more money may well eventually buckle and collapse under her demands. In fact, she’s all but encouraging it to happen. Nor does she seem to give the slightest thought to souring the public’s perception of the CTU and by proxy (although unfairly) the teachers it represents.
On one hand, you can almost respect the job she’s done up to this point. She’s in a position with a clear mandate to secure the best possible benefits for the folks she represents, and by any measure, she’s delivered in spades. But, to continually push, refuse to compromise, and frequently alienate potential allies and supporters is not just politically short-sighted; it’s also exhausting for all Chicagoans who care about the future of our city.
When I read headlines about Davis Gates and the CTU, I often find myself remembering the union’s rallying cry “First We Get the Money.” I just wish for the sake of the city that someone knew what comes next.
— Bobby Burk, Chicago
Hold CPS, CTU accountable
Regarding the editorial “Forget Springfield bailout talk. Here’s how state should help Chicago Public Schools” (Aug. 7): Springfield, this is your time to help the taxpayers of Chicago hold Chicago Public Schools (and the Chicago Teachers Union) fiscally accountable. And improve the bond rating and increase confidence that will help attract new private money donors.
Is it too optimistic to dream that CPS knows how to manage money, that the CTU respects parents and taxpayers, and that high net-worth individuals and corporations are so confident in CPS’ ability to execute that they want to donate large sums of money to CPS to build more top-performing schools?
Springfield, let’s do it for the kids!
— Steve Katz, Chicago
Replacing lead service lines
Chicago has roughly 400,000 lead service lines, many serving homes built before 1986. There is no safe level of lead exposure, and elevated lead levels were found in roughly one-third of Chicago homes that voluntarily tested their water, according to an Axios analysis.
Replacing those lines should be an urgent public-health priority. Instead, Chicago is paying roughly $33,784 per line — about three times what Elgin pays.
Think about that: For roughly the cost of replacing one lead line in Chicago, Elgin can replace three.
At Chicago’s current rate, replacing all 400,000 lines could cost approximately $13.5 billion over two decades. Meanwhile, Chicago has replaced only about 15,500 lines in five years and will soon face a federal requirement to dramatically accelerate that pace.
Mayor Brandon Johnson has said he is seeking additional state and federal funding. That’s fine, but more outside money doesn’t answer the most important question: Why is Chicago paying so much more than nearby communities for essentially the same work?
Chicago has a $16.6 billion annual budget and has found hundreds of millions of dollars for other pressing priorities. So Chicagoans have a right to ask: What is the mayor focusing on that is more important than protecting our children and families from lead in their drinking water?
This isn’t about politics. It’s about priorities, accountability and basic fiscal responsibility.
If Elgin can replace a lead service line for a fraction of what Chicago pays, City Hall should be able to explain the difference — and fix it.
Chicagoans shouldn’t have to pay three times more for clean, safe drinking water.
— Thomas Schoendorff, Chicago
Communities need this project
Anti-data center activists boo Mayor Brandon Johnson for not disavowing the massive Illinois Quantum & Microelectronics Park project in Chicago. If there was a vote in these communities, perhaps more people would be for the quantum computing development than not.
South Chicago and the East Side were economically and commercially more vibrant in the middle of the 20th century. Back then, the mills were booming, you could see the mill dust from the blast furnaces on the car windshields and no one really complained because of all the jobs.
These communities desperately need some development to help revitalize them, and you have to wonder what is the real agenda for these activists. Nothing they’re doing is really helping anyone.
— Andrew Kachiroubas, Chicago
Bears leaders are players
Regarding the process of determining a site for a new stadium, Bears management has played more games than the players.
— Payson Wild, Evanston
Polish Triangle significance
Regarding the editorial “Let the people pee. Just not in the Polish Triangle”
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(Aug. 6): Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for helping highlight the Polish Triangle’s significance as a center of Polish immigrant history and the literary legacy of Nelson Algren.We believe it has the potential to be an exciting gateway to Wicker Park’s cultural, hospitality and economic future.
— Zygmunt Dyrkacz, artistic director, and Lela Headd, managing director, Chopin Theatre
Note to readers
Construction on Chicago streets and bridges this summer has created headaches for many drivers. We’d like to hear from you about your frustrations with the delays and the city’s management of the closures and detours. Send a letter of no more than 400 words by Wednesday, Sept. 2 to [email protected]. Be sure to include your full name and city/town.
Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email [email protected].