A Butcher, a Burger, an Oddly Perfect Video Place, and Citizen J Tip Sheet Galore

Oh, yes, and at least two cringeworthy typos. Had to pick my mom at the airport, and rushed the editing this week as I don't have (nor want) a PDA, and wanted to spend quality family time w/out worrying about the newsletter that is more of a small bill payer than a rent payer.

Lol, thanks Anna, you rock! :) OH, and probably not surprising but I had you in mind when I put in that bit about the IB meeting taking place at Pulaski School today at 5:30 p.m. Now, I am all for parents, and people lobbying for a better curriculum, but within that dogma, as a citizen, and as a taxpayer, I have to wonder what kind of money will be spent to make it happen? Aren't CPS schools already overwhelmed and understaffed, and in no position to be making major curriculum changes, or in some cases closing entire schools, and basically privatizing education through charter schools? I was assured that the IB Program is not a charter school, though it sure sounds close to it in theory. In any case, I just think someone with more time than me, and more of a desire to dig further should look into this newsbit. Long ago, in 2003, I started asking questions about charter school, and it was so overwhelming I gave up after two or three months. I lacked the discipline of a real investigative reporter, and had other personal issues at the time preventing me from digging deeper, and finding all the facts necessary to make it credible, as they don't make it easy to ask questions! Back then, only 30 charters were sanctioned by the state, a capped limit, and now with lobbying and good old Daley it's like 100!!!! At least a bunch of school can't band together now and call it one single charter like a school on the north side did, so when it was merged with test scores from kids on the far south side it appeared that the average was decent, and passing, but really it was the test scores from the north side charter schools bringing up the average from its sister charter on the south side. Anyhoo, I think someone should go to today's meeting, just can't be me, I'm already underemployed, and overwhelmed. :) Good luck if ya go!!

ha, why did i have a feeling that would be your response??? yeah, i suppose i could drop a note, but literally too swamped, and the last time i wrote a note to a reporter that gets paid he was swamped himself and working on a much more blatant and obvious story of corruption. the school system is enormous, and within it you have a lot of good people, with good intentions (like maybe the IB organizers), so to shine a spotlight magnifier on schools is in many ways more difficult than something like parking meters and tax fraud which is populated with mostly bad intent.

LOL!! :)