“Kleinman, a community representative on the Walt Disney Magnet Elementary LSC, said he would not favor eliminating the current system, but liked the idea of elected neighborhood council members collaborating across neighborhoods.
Kleinman also advocates for using the existing LSC structure to create a representative-elected school board at the district level.
“Any democratic solution is better than what we have now,” he said.
I have been researching, contemplating, collaborating, and developing the notion of LSCs working together to form sub-districts within the larger CPS school district since after seeing the devastation of the district’s shuttering of 50 schools in 2013.
The groupings of LSCs that form the sub-districts can then nominate and select from their own body the LSC members who then sit on the CPS school board.
As such, the board becomes a representative body.
I have learned so much from my neighbors across Chicago, and I continue to be encouraged by our exercises to listen, share ideas, and collaborate to make our school district an unparalleled educational system.
I know I have never presented a perfect plan, but it is a plan I am confident can begin a conversation to find the plan that is perfect, meeting the needs of the city, and meeting the standards of our communities.
As always, I look forward to keeping this going.