After years of attending Chicago Board of Education monthly meetings, on December 14, 2011 I felt like I left one where the community was actually heard, by the public and by the board. During the "public participation" segment of the meeting, a lone voice stopped the business-as-usual.
From the Chicago Sun-Times:
Adourthus McDowell, a Chicago Public School parent and member of the Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization, began the takeover by rising from his chair and interrupting a presentation by Chicago Schools CEO Jean-Claude Brizard on a new $660 million capital construction plan.


Using a 'mic check' technique borrowed from Occupy Wall Street protestors, McDowell read from a prepared text in short bursts so comrades planted around the room could repeat his words and thereby amplify them for the crowd.
The action continued. Parents, educators, and community activists repeated Mr. McDowell's speech and were escorted out of the room one-by-one.
Some local bloggers and politicians have become highly critical of the "mic check" tactic, where public meetings and events are upstaged by the voice of those who feel voiceless. On its face, it does appear to be rude and counterproductive.


This would be true if these public meetings really were about providing community input. I've attended hundreds of public meetings, both as an activist and as a reporter. Board of Education "public participation" segments are two hours where taxpayers are allowed two minutes each to describe decades of neglect or outright sabotage of their school communities, as bemused members of the Board of Education play on their Blackberries.
Ever have that nightmare where something terrible is happening and you can't scream for help? For the parents, students, and educators who take a day off of work to attend these meetings, this becomes a reality.
This particular meeting was held in the wake of CPS' announcement to close and turnaround more schools. Many came to defend their school communities. They were prepared with data and research to show why the board should halt their plans.
From the Chicagoist:
A study by UIC professors last year showed that the turnaround model espoused initially by CPS during the Richard M. Daley administration has served largely to re-segregate the school system.
The Board of Education didn't get to hear any of this at the meeting, as James Warren describes in the New York Times:
David Vitale retreated into executive session. Mr. Vitale is a banker who was picked by Rahm Emanuel to be president of the Chicago Board of Education.
This was after the Mr. Vitale, much like a bad first-year teacher:
... told the crowd that he hoped they'd 'gotten it out of their system,' prompting more jeers.


'We need you out of our system,' one man yelled back.
It seems that when confronted by the public they chose to serve, the Board of Education retreats. After the board members left the room, Jesse Sharkey -- the vice president of the Chicago Teachers Union -- who taught for over a decade in CPS schools explained their cowardice:
'I've had many hard days as a teacher and... you can't just take your ball and go home,' Sharkey said, addressing the empty seats.
When you are working on changing a system led by the richest people in the city who have no patience for the people whose taxes pay their stipends and subsidize their friends, you have to come up with new tactics.
Had the community members played by the board's rules last week, the meeting would have been just another one like countless others. Motions would be passed and communities would be destroyed, as members of the board could continue playing Words With Friends.
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Keep pushing people! If you would like, I can share this video - You have to keep the big bad dogs on a short leash.. and you have to keep it up and expose all their backroom subrosa deals.
http://www.occupywallstreetphotography.com
Grow up.
Use the available technology. To wit:
-Chicago Access Network. (Channels 19 & 21) Cable T.V. that airs on EVERY Chicago cable system. There, you can fuss, cuss, (little or no censorship) show graphs, discuss, debate, state positions, sight examples, name names (schools, principals, Bof E lackeys (be careful of slander) have ONLY the guest YOU want (fighting fire with napalm) and in a very calm and adult manner … state your case.
-Comfortable studio, 4 or 5 cameras, 8 man crew, program guaranteed to air twice, shoot as many 30 min spots as you can in 3 hours.
The more people that take the class ($120=, 3-6hour sessions, 3 meetings) the more 30 or 60 minute episodes you get PER MONTH.
Cost per production …. $0.00 ……
CAN, 322 S. Street. Look it up on the web.
Stop with all of the temper tantrums.
-NO corporate sponsorship
-NO commercial interuptions
-ALL volunteer (this means YOU, PARTICIPANTS)
-After the program airs, YOU (the producer) are free to do with the episode as you wish
-NO union requirements or money exchanges
And other stuff.
Acces to the public air waves is some powerfull "stuff."
"Parents, teachers, students and communities reject CPS failed reforms.
We now know that only 18 percent of the replacement schools perform well.
Most of those are selected enrollment schools run by CPS.
Nearly 40% of the new schools are performance level 3, CPS' lowest rating.
We see through the sound-bites.
You have betrayed the public trust.
You have failed Chicago's children.
You pray at the altar of greed
And dare call it education.
We value people over profit.
Every life is precious.
Our children are not product.
But look at what you've produced
Children have died
Literally and spiritually
As a result of your policies
You have produced chaos.
Mayor Emmanuel you should be ashamed.
Brizard, you should be ashamed.
You should both be fired.
Stanford University says you have failed.
The University of Chicago says you have failed.
The Chicago Tribune says you have failed.
Most importantly, the people know you have failed.
The definition of insanity is to repeatedly do the same thing and expect a different result.
These are our children, not yours.
These are our children, not yours.
We are taking our fight to the mayor!
We are taking our fight to the courts!
We are taking our fight to the schools!
We are taking our fight to the streets!
These are our children, not corporate product.
These are our children, not corporate product.
These are our children, not corporate product!"