Daley Claims Failing Schools His 'Major Accomplishment'

By Prescott Carlson in News on Jan 21, 2010 3:20PM

CBS 2's Mike Flannery recently received a little one-on-one time with Mayor Daley when he interviewed the mayor while riding along in his town car. The crux of the interview was about the future of Northerly Island and if a casino would be built there, to which Daley replied, "It's strictly a park, always will be; because it belongs to the people." He also reiterated comments from his verbal spat with Han Solo last week, saying that he's "very proud" of his decision to bulldoze Meigs Field to create Northerly Island and that it was all part of the Burnham Plan. When asked if he felt it was one of his major accomplishments, Daley responded, "No. No, I think the schools are."

That's right, Mayor Daley thinks the current state of the Chicago Public Schools is his greatest contribution to the city of Chicago. You know, the school system that can't attract enough good teachers. The one that made cuts in programs like after-school tutoring because the Mayor's slush fund program has left the CPS high and dry to the tune of $500 million. The one that misguidedly shuffles kids around creating gang tension in schools, which sometimes gets teens killed. That's quite an accomplishment, Mayor.

But most damning of all, his overall master plan for the CPS, Renaissance 2010, has been found severely wanting as it enters what was supposed to be its pinnacle year. Barbara Radner, head of the Center for Urban Education at DePaul University, told the Tribune:

"There has been some good and some bad in Renaissance 2010, but overall it wasn't the game changer that people thought it would be. In some ways it has been more harmful than good because all the attention, all the funding, all the hope was directed at Ren10 to the detriment of other effective strategies CPS was developing."

So parents across the country, when this major accomplishment spreads nationwide, you now know Mayor Daley is awaiting your thank yous.