The state of America's education system is likely to be a major issue during the 2024 elections. Parents are tired of their children being force-fed liberal political agendas in the classroom while things like reading, writing, math, science, and actual American history are not being taught. Because teachers' unions have a stranglehold on school districts, many parents, especially minorities whose children attend inner-city schools, don't have any alternatives to failing schools. So, when there are alternatives offered that will give kids the motivation and incentive to succeed, you would think that would be nothing but a good thing, right? Not in Chicago, where the woke mayor would like to trade academic success for "equity." 

School Choice … it’s amazing how many officials who oppose it have their own kids in private schools. Next time you hear a Chicago official sanctimoniously lecture about the importance of public schools, ask them where they send their kids. Many, if not most, Chicago officials… pic.twitter.com/hb8riyH2PM

— SafeSuburbsUSA (@SafeSuburbsUSA) December 13, 2023

When he was running to become the next mayor of the Windy City, Brandon Johnson made a campaign promise and stated that none of the 11 selective enrollment high schools around the city would be closed. Several schools are ranked some of the best in the nation, and students are admitted based on their academic achievement. Many students come from low-income areas, offering them the opportunity to attend an elite high school and better their chances of going to college. 

But in a place like Chicago, where equity, not achievement, is the goal, Johnson is now back peddling on his promise that the schools will remain open and has proposed a plan to close all 11 selective enrollment high schools within five years. The idea is to boost enrollment in neighborhood public schools. Currently, roughly 76 percent of Chicago high school students do not attend their neighborhood school. Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez is on board with the idea, saying that the selective enrollment high schools are creating "stratification and inequity in Chicago Public Schools." School Board President Jianan Shi is also all for herding kids into below-par schools, saying:

"This plan needs to be guided and informed by the community. The goal is that we're able to change (the) current competition model so that students are not pitted against one another, schools are not pitted against one another."

Shi also went on to say, 'It shouldn't be a competition between schools; it should really be families, knowing that, 'Hey, my child can walk to school and have a great option.'' Because competition is bad, apparently. Right now, however, it doesn't appear that Chicago students have a "great option" to go to. While Chicago Public Schools (CPS) were raving about their "historic" graduation rate, the numbers were telling a different story. In 2017, 24.7 percent of CPS students met or exceeded the SAT standard for math. In 2023, only 19.1 percent of students met the standard. Language scores were not much better. In 2017, 27.8 percent of students met SAT standards; in 2023, 22.3 percent met standards. 

One area Chicago public schools stand out for is their selective enrollment schools. Some of the best in the country. Gives many kids from diverse backgrounds a chance to accelerate their education. Of course, the CTU is seeking to screw this up. Equity!

H/T @capitolfax pic.twitter.com/XoKyN4vOG2

— Stuart Loren (@StuLoren) December 12, 2023

The parents of Chicago's students should have seen this broken promise coming down the pike. Johnson is a former employee of the Chicago Teachers Union, more specifically, their legislative coordinator. Johnson has been described as "hand-picked" by the union to run for mayor. As of June 30 of this year, CTU has given around $2.6 million to his campaign. It is unclear if CTU was paying Johnson's salary while he was campaigning. But the residents of Chicago are quickly finding out, not just because of this broken campaign promise but also because of Johnson's steadfast insistence that Chicago is a sanctuary city for illegal immigrants, that elections have consequences. Many residents recently attended a City Council meeting to protest not only Chicago's sanctuary city status but also the plan to erect tent cities in predominantly black and Hispanic neighborhoods in the city.

Even editors of the Chicago Tribune sounded the alarm on this plan that would pull the rug out from under many gifted Chicago area students in an opinion piece that read, in part:

"Johnson's people can call this resolution a roadmap, or a transition plan, or a framework, or whatever they want. They must have a very low opinion of Chicagoans' intelligence. People will see what is going on here. The selective-enrollment high schools are stars in the CPS firmament. All 11 of them. They are going to need defenders. Chicago has struggled for decades to keep its vibrant middle class from fleeing to the suburbs when their kids reach school age. The offering of more choices in education, a long-time city policy, hasn't gone perfectly, but it's inarguable in our view that without those choices Chicago would be in far worse shape."

Unfortunately, Chicago's selective enrollment high schools will not get those defenders. On Thursday, the Board voted to adopt the resolution to "move away" from any kind of school choice to "elevate" neighborhood schools. Chicago Teachers Union one, Chicago's gifted students zero.  

Is the Chicago Teachers Union working to prepare its students to attain selective enrollment schools?

No.

Its working to paper over their failures by making all schools equally mediocre.@ChicagosMayor wants to help them.

This is "one of the weeks" for CTU's VP.

Pathetic. https://t.co/ZozfKJJmtE

— Illinois Policy (@illinoispolicy) December 15, 2023