School Funding Unconstitutional: Lawsuit

AP:

Using property tax revenue to fund Illinois schools is unconstitutional and discriminatory, according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday by the Chicago Urban League.

The use of property tax violates the 2003 Illinois Civil Rights Act, the group says in the lawsuit, filed in Cook County against the state and the Illinois State Board of Education.

Illinois' current system of funding exacerbates the state's segregated housing problem, especially in Chicago, said Lisa Scruggs, a lawyer for the group. Because homes in neighborhoods with high percentages of minorities have lower values than homes in white neighborhoods, schools in minority districts get less funding.

Read the whole story: AP

Comments

[CriticalDune]

Meeks tactics are wrong but his sentiment is not. That's why this lawsuit is very important. New Trier reportedly spends 15K per student versus a state average of 8K. That is appalling. CPS has a handful of high schools (Northside Prep, Payton, and Jones come to mind) that do an excellent job and prove that it's not the quality of the students that's the issue, it's the quality of the programs and support.