Friends,

It is hard to describe the palpable shock that has echoed through the Disney community over the latest events.

I have met us at barbershops south of the loop, I have met us at law offices in the loop. I have met us in Edgewater, Uptown, Buena Park. I have met us at Disney. The Disney Community touches all corners of Chicago.

Here is what I know.

CPS Board Policy 14-0625-EX12 describes that when a Principal resigns from CPS, a very specific, complex, and arduous process begins to ensure that the next principal is what the school needs, wants, and is democratically selected.

Currently, an Administrator-in-charge has been appointed by the Board of Education.

This means that this administrative position is temporary and holds no authority or position within the governing Local School Council.

The next Local School Council meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, October 16, 5:30PM, at Disney.

I have been in close communication with our Chair and we have adopted a protocol to work toward re-certification in LSC Principal Selection trainings. I have quickly re-taken the Principle Selection training programs and examination and successfully received certification for the third time.

Lastly:

I can not imagine being a student at an elementary school who does not feel safe in the presence of their school’s leadership.

I do not ever want to feel the rage that must be present to see your child’s needs go unaddressed or even violated at a school where they are meant to feel safe and welcome, and a specific and additional pain to understand that the distress is in the context of a discriminatory history and real present.

I know too many teachers to make me think otherwise that their dedication to their students, their total commitment to their mission of educating individuals, and the future, would ever lead them to risk that mission unless they felt not doing so would be worse.

The Disney community might currently be assumed paralyzed, but I have seen the opposite.

Through the dust cloud that is beginning to settle, is what shines brightest at Disney.

Unity to rebuild.

One constituent I often speak with said to me:

Disney is proving that a small group of dedicated individuals can still make a big impact.

Those same individuals, those members of the Disney community who have publicly commented despite the risk, have insights that are needed, needed perspectives, needed judgements. Even if these opinions are not seated on our LSC, they need to be heard.

I have informed the chair:

I intend to make a motion to create a Principal Selection Committee that includes non-LSC members.

A statement of values

A Principal Selection Committee that includes non-LSC members is what is needed

To note:

The creation for a sub-committee for A Principal Selection Committee is optional for the Local School Council.

Opening such a committee to non-council members is also optional.

But it is necessary.

But it will not be easy.

This will require detailed discussion, protocol drafting, and agreement in vote. Procedures and parliamentary practices will need to be studied and appropriately applied.

Because this situation calls for it.

Feel free to email me directly: dan@dankleinman.org.