It seems that Chicago Public Schools system CEO Arne Duncan is more concerned with politicking than with educating the students given into his care. Last week, it was a rally in Chicago, at which CPS students, rather than actually being taught in classrooms, were used as political currency for--you guessed it--more restrictive gun laws.
Later, Duncan spoke about the need to get rid of guns and hold manufacturers accountable, as he has after each of the killings so far this year. Last year there were a record 34 students were killed during the school year.Presumably, Duncan isn't lobbying to make Chicago's gun laws more restrictive--Chicago's gun laws can't really get any more restrictive--he wants to inflict Chicago-style citizen disarmament tyranny on the entire state. When one considers Chicago's vastly higher violent crime rate, as compared to the rest of the state, that "solution" seems more than a little odd. Days of Our Trailers has more on that rally.
Tuesday's rally will put more heat on lawmakers and bring more attention to the issue, he said.
"This is a public health epidemic. We are struggling to find the cure for AIDS, we are struggling to find the cure for cancer; we know the cure for this public health epidemic—getting rid of guns," said Duncan. "We need political courage."
That's not the end of Duncan's political posturing, though--now the Chicago Public Schools system is busing students all the way to Springfield to help lobby for the citizen disarmament agenda.
As CBS 2's Kristyn Hartman reports, it is no ordinary field trip for the students from Jones College Prep, at 606 S. State St., who have boarded buses for Springfield with Chicago Public Schools chief executive officer Arne Duncan. Some of the students are even putting law class experience to use in lobbying legislators about something highly important to them.And what is "highly important to them"?
[CPS student Rene] Howard hopes state lawmakers take that to heart. In addition to additional funding, he and classmates are asking for tougher gun laws.This bus trip (paid for, presumably, out of the CPS budget) to Springfield isn't the only one the CPS is planning this spring--according to this video clip, this is the first of sixteen such trips planned before the scheduled adjournment of Illinois' legislative session in late May.
"My uncle was killed due to guns, so I want to give him his voice," said student Emmanuel Izaguirre. "I want other people to have his chance, and I don't want people to suffer the way I did."
The Illinois State Rifle Association makes some interesting observations about the Chicago Public Schools system's foray into state politics.
Interestingly enough, at about the same time that Duncan was delivering his rant against the state's law abiding firearm owners, a report was released in "Catalyst Magazine" that indicates that just 51% of freshmen enrolled in Chicago public high schools stick it out to graduate.Pretty slick on the part of the disarmers--gun owners from all over the state are, through their state taxes, helping to pay for lobbying efforts (in the form of buses from Chicago to Springfield and back) aimed at trampling their own Constitutionally guaranteed fundamental human right of the individual to keep and bear arms. It's one thing to ask a Southern Illinois taxpayer to help pay for the education of Chicago kids, but a 51% graduation rate is a pretty poor return on the investment. Perhaps the payoff would be better if the funding actually went to education, rather than for lobbying for the deprivation of rights.
[ . . . ]
"It's ironic that the truth about Duncan's administration was being released just as he was damning the state's law-abiding gun owners," continued Pearson. "Maybe if Duncan did a better job keeping his charges in school, they wouldn't be out on the streets beating, knifing and shooting one another to death. If Duncan had any sense of responsibility at all, he would have been at the microphone apologizing to the people of Illinois for wasting their time and tax dollars. By all rights, Arne Duncan should be returning 49% of his $200,000 annual salary to the Chicago treasury. He's doing half a job -- so he deserves half his pay."
Stumble it!
7 comments:
YANK THEIR FUNDING! Remove these people who have so totally lost sight of what "education" actually is.
They tried that education thing. It didn't work out very well.
They're much better at screaming for everyone else to solve their problems, so they're going to focus on that for awhile, see where it takes them. You've got to follow your bliss.
Education has become unimportant ever sense the no child left behind program started. So it only follows that now kids can get a passing grade if they are bussed to a rally against the the Bill of Rights.
FELIX CAT
THE WAY I SEE IT BACK TRACK AND FIND OUT WHERE THE GUN CAME FROM.
IT WAS EITHER SROLEN OR BOUGHT OFF THE STREET.
Question; What is the second thing every incoming Chicago Superintendent of Schools does?
Answer: remodel his/her office for half a million dollars (or more).
Oh, the first thing is issue a press release or public interview stating how he/she is going to improve the system and actually educate the students.
Number two, is remarkably consistent in its accomplishment. Number one is still waiting for its first occurrence.
Gonna play Devil's Advocate here and ask a question.
Did these kids have permission from their parents to do this?
I find it abhorrent that a school official would use kids to lobby for legislation, but if these kids had the support of their parents, should we lay all the blame at the feet of the school official?
If those parents paid the expenses of the bus transportation (and whatever other logistical expenses, plus the salaries of any faculty/staff whose time was spent on this trip), my objections would be substantially quieted.
I suspect that's not how this is being paid for, though.
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