Group Sues Latin School, City, Park District

:-)

I am going to donate some money to this group.

The last thing we should be doing is building an essentially private soccer stadium on the greenspace of Lincoln Park.

That is not "free land," as the political hacks in the Park District believe. It is already serving an important role.

Let's hope this judge shows some backbone. Don't be surprised, though, if he kisses up to the local machine in order to enhance his post-judgeship consulting and/or legal options.

Rich and powerful people send their kids to Latin in order to avoid sending them to crappy Chicago public schools, or moving the whole familiy to the suburbs. They will probably get what they want.

xlprg-
I used to work for a man who went to Latin and sends his kids there. That man was the nicest, most selfless man I've ever met. His generosity was unbelievable. And, of course, he was one of the most capable people at his job.

The -'I know so and so' and since 'he's so mean' everybody there must also be a self righteous bastard- argument is lame and tired.

Spav1 haven't you been following the news??????

Margatet Idi Amin Da Da Lyons upon the advice and counsel of her fellow Latin School Alumni President Robert Gabriel Mugabe continues to claim that the Chicagoist judges( some now under house arrest) have not decided the selection of Commentator for the Month of April!

But the masses continue to clamor for me, your Spook!

Based upon this groundswell of support both rural and urban, I've set up The Commentator for the Month of April Government in Exile, until Margatet abides by the will of the People and United Nations Resolution # 18777-2 calling for Chicagoist Commentator of the Month to be reestablished along with my appointment as Commentator of the Month for April.

Yours in Struggle,

Spook

p.s
The People United Will Never Be Defeated!

Mepps: That may be true, but baiting Internet trolls to start arguments never gets tired. Thanks!

I don't care if every boss who graduated from Latin is an angel who washes employees feet every morning.

Latin simply doesn't deserve one square inch of park land. The school is now a pariah and so are the guilty political hacks, including Tim Mitchell of the Park District and Alderman Vi Daley.

Vi Daley, pariah? Tell me something new.

Have any of you ever been to that section of Lincoln Park before? It is crap. The land is poorly kept and there are large sewer grates in the middle of the field. Since the public entities that be do not have the money to turn it into a nice field a private school is putting up almost the full cost of making it a nice place for everyone to use. What is not being reported is that the Latin School has already had a lease to use that section of the park during specific times for decades. They are just trying to enhance it. And, they aren't asking the taxpayers to pay fot it. It is a gift to the city. Most of the time they have been already using the field and the time they are asking for is when everyone is at work anyway. Every week night and weekend this beautiful new facility will be free for anyone to use. Also, most of the summer it would be open to use everyday by the public. It isn't like they are asking to own the land or the facility--just use it part of the time when noone else would be using it anyway.

I really don't understand the issue here. Also, if you are basing your argument on rich people trying to get their way, check into where these people who have brought the lawsuit are from. I'll tell you: the Gold Coast. They are rich people trying to get their way. Most of them would fight anything the Latin School would propose because they don't like traffic in their neighborhood (i.e. parents picking their kids up)for one hour of the day.

Disclosure: I went to the Latin School and my family was neither rich nor powerful. I was there on partial scholarship and I witnessed how many great things that school did for the community and Chicago.

Wayne,

As someone working to stop the construction, I'd like to say that if you don't stereotype all Lincoln Parkers, then we won't stereotype Latin schoolers. First of all, it is a regional, NOT a community park. It serves ALL Chicagoans and ALL Chicagoans pay for its upkeep.

Members of the committee come from ALL income levels. And from all over Chicago. Believe me. In fact, if we had more wealthier people in our group, our fight would be far easier.

Now, to say that Latin is "paying" for the field is misleading. They are only paying upfront what they would already pay to lease the field for the next 10 years. In other words, they are paying what they would have anyway. Wow. How generous.

So, any school that can afford to do that should be allowed? Isn't that catering to the wealthy -- no matter the school?

This is public land. The public already expressed back in 2002 that they did not want a soccer field there. There are plenty of places to put a soccer field -- like the empty land very near the school where Cabrini-Green is being demolished. It's just not as convenient for the school. And it would cost more to actually buy private land than to do what Latin is now doing.

Also, to say that it's a "gift to the city" is a slap in the face of all taxpayers. Latin is taking away public space that can now ONLY be used by sports enthusiasts(do you want to picnic on astroturf?)and making it unavailable to ANY OTHER SCHOOL. Check the times. Other schools used to use that grassy (sometimes muddy, but, it's NATURE), meadow. They, too, had longstanding permits. Now they are completely shut out. And it's turning that space over to a (sorry, but it's true) very wealthy, very connected, and very small private institution. The school absolutely has control over the field.

Finally, how is it a "gift" when taxpayers are paying to install lights ($250,000) and to maintain the field, AND perhaps even to provide security? how is it a gift when Latin's own representative for the construction admits that the field will be an average of "at least" 20 degrees warmer than the outside temperature?

Thank you for "enhancing" Lincoln Park with the gift of a heat island, an electronic scoreboard, bleachers, astroturf, a 10-foot wide by about 80-foot long path filled with bricks purchased by "donors" leading to the field (and covering even MORE grass). Thank you for shutting out every other public and private school from ever using that same field as they have for years (unless they want to get their kids back on the field after 7 pm). Thank you for using your clout to bypass the public process, when you were well aware that the public had already expressed its opposition just a few short years before.

Thank you, Latin, for this very generous gift.

When was Mayor Daley ever interested in listening to Everyman?

I went to Latin on a full scholarship. I was also on the soccer team. I am also one of the people leading the activity. Any spirited folks on Chicagoist who care about this issue, what we need right now is lots of Hamiltons, because we are fighting for a Temporary Restraining Order this very week and the paid lawyers are going to cost a lot of money. Please contribute generously at our web site, SaveLincolnPark.org!

Incidentally, regarding the following:

The head of the group that's suing was on WGN this morning. He put up a very good case - the truth - but he's still named Herbert. Ever hear of anyone named Herbert beating the system?