For Fioretti and Garcia, education policy may come down largely to trying to outdo each other in opposing Emanuels controversial school decisions. Both are seeking to draw support from Chicagoans who backed the Chicago Teachers Union in its 2012 strike and who are upset with Emanuels decision to close dozens of public schools. And both are loudly proclaiming their intention, if elected, to push state lawmakers to give Chicago an elected school board, an idea Emanuel strongly opposes. Fioretti promises to do just that on his website while continuing his drumbeat of accusing Emanuel of taking care of wealthy, well-connected supporters at the expense of regular Chicagoans. Our current model of a Mayoral-appointed board is not responsive to the needs of the majority of public school parents, Fiorettis education policy says. It favors those with clout or financial interest and gives them undue influence. Fioretti also proclaimed his intention to end wasteful spending on excessive standardized tests. Many of the tests that have drawn the ire of some parents groups in recent years are required by the state or the federal government, however, so its unclear how he would accomplish that. Garcia on Wednesday also staked his claim as supporting an elected school board, saying if he wins he will quickly go to Springfield to try to get the law changed. If lawmakers failed to act, Garcia said, he would go to federal court to try to get Chicago an elected school board. He said he believes that if the school board was elected, it would not have agreed to shut down dozens of schools.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 17:29:47 +0000
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