Parents’ duty
The Chicago Public Schools (at taxpayers’ expense) has already assumed many tasks and obligations for students that normally fall to their parents and guardians or various social agencies.
These include free food, free clothing, free school supplies (including computers), free job placement and numerous other social services.
The sobering statistics of the crime rate and dropout rate for CPS students shows that these efforts have had little impact.
Now, for reasons that defy logic, schools chief Arne Duncan wants to care for some students 24-7 because they are orphans or live in an unsafe home environment.
Several questions arise: Where are the parents or guardians? If they are not providing a safe environment, why aren’t they in jail? Where are the social agencies (Department of Children and Family Services) that are responsible for assuring a wholesome, safe environment for all children? In a city infamous for corruption and incompetence, what guarantees are there that the schools will do a better job of caring for these students?
The local and state governments of Chicago and Illinois have done their best to tax citizens into poverty while supplying, at best, mediocre services for schools and a host of other governmental functions. The last thing we need is for the schools to supplant parents.
— Thomas Sharp
Chicago
Running mates
The hotly contested Democratic side of the presidential race has me more convinced then ever that all candidates should be up front from the get-go about their vice presidential picks. Very often you support the candidate then squeal at the running mate.
There’s also been speculation about a Clinton-Obama ticket but not an Obama-Clinton ticket.
If Clinton’s goal really does supersede her own ego, she should have the guts to do what’s best for all.
To really be able to choose wisely, we need the whole picture up front, don’t we?
— Sheila Barkes
Mishawaka, Ind.
