Principal, Teachers Don’t Want to See School Go Charter

“I fear the kids won’t receive the services they receive under us. There are types of kids that may not make it in a charter school,” Brian Roberts, a fourth and fifth grade math teacher from Wendell Smith, said.

Roberts is 35 years old and has been teaching there for nine years.

“They’re forgetting a lot of students have special needs. Charter schools have the ability to get rid of students,” he said. “If there’s a behavior problem, and you’re not up to par, they don’t have to go through a due process to put the child out…It’s easier to give up on a kid.”

Roberts said parents were promised every student from Smith would be allowed to enroll in a new charter school, however he questioned their ability to keep the students. He also noted there was potential for special education students to lose their personal aids, who currently follow students all day and provide assistance.

“Charter Schools are required by state, city and district to provide the same levels of care,” said Jennifer Cline, communications director for New Schools Now, a charter school organization in Chicago.

She said Roberts’ claims were a common misconception about charter schools and the most important thing for the students at Smith is the quality of education.

“According to the 2008-2009 Charter and Contract Schools Performance Report published by CPS, the transfer out rate for charter elementary schools is 5 percent lower than their traditional counterparts,” Cline said.

Principal Johnny Banks spoke against the prospective change at the board meeting, citing the school’s improvements in reading and math. He said the students’ scores have doubled during his six-year period as principal.

“Smith has a committed staff,” he said. “The kids have built strong relationships.”

Banks also questioned the legality of the vote, stating the Board of Education was responsible for making these types of decisions, not local school councils.

“An LSC can’t close the school by itself, their vote is an advisory or a recommendation,” said Chicago Public Schools spokesman Frank Shufton. “I’m not aware of any situation like this in the past.”

If the change to a charter school is made, new employees will be brought in and the current staff will lose their jobs, extending from the principal to custodial staff.

“I’ve taught whole families,” Maceo Taylor, a sixth through eighth grade teacher at Wendell Smith, said.

He is 53 years old, has taught at Wendall Smith for 19 years and said he has had the privilege of teaching former students’ children.

“I don’t want to see that destroyed,” he said.

“At the end of the day we want what’s best for the children,” Taylor said. “I’ve provided a father figure role for a lot of kids. If a new school comes in they’ll lose that relationship.”

A representative for Wendell Smith’s local school council could not be reached for comment.