The Barbershop: Dennis Byrne, Proprietor

An eloquent defense of school choice in Chicago.

The systemic racism of Chicago’s public school system, as explained by John Kass.

Charter public school students, parents and advocates rally in 2014 at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago in support of choice. Hear them. (Anthony Souffle / Chicago Tribune)

If you want to talk about “systemic racism”, you need look no further than the Chicago Public School system and its overseer, the Chicago Teachers Union, Chicago Tribune columnist John Kass argues in his brilliant column this morning. (“Want to end urban hopelessness? Support real school choice.”)

The CTU virtually runs the system (and will be even a more powerful overseer when the school board gets elected). I suppose that wouldn’t matter if Chicago public schools were a howling success.

Far from it. If you think that disproportionately alone defines racism, then look at the disproportionate negative results for black children who pass through this racist system: The disproportionate number of failing students, the students who don’t graduate or go on to college, the absent students and the dropouts.

And the declining enrollment, the result of families trying to escape the violence and the number of parents finding a better educational experience for their children.

It’s a school system run for all of its “stakeholders” (teachers, administrators, vendors, contractors, etc.) except for the main one–the students. And those in control are making damn sure that only a few can escape. For example, the CTU has successfully “negotiated” a cap on the number of charter schools that are offering that escape.

Kass introduces the idea of the CPS and the CTU as a part of a systemic or institutionally racist system. He successfully and insightfully turns the tables on progressives/liberals/Democrats who detect systemic racism wherever you look in America. It’s one of Kass’ best columns and I urge everyone to read the entire piece.

Taxes are paid to provide America’s children a quality education. Taxes should not paid to support any particular way of doing it, especially one that harms children. The taxes should follow the children to wherever they and their parents find quality education. To the secularists who find it unconstitutional, I refer them to the federal aid (e.g. loans) that follow the students, to whatever school they choose to attend.

Haven’t we done enough to punish these children by keeping them unnecessarily out of the classroom? Parents need to rise up and demand better. You can start by joining other fed-up parents in the Illinois Parents Union.

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Chicago public schools, Chicago Teachers Union