ABC 7, FOX 32, Telemundo, Univision and WBBM joined Wirepoints at our press conference in front of Pilsen’s Benito Juarez High School, where 85% of students graduate despite just 4% of them being proficient in reading, to cover Wirepoints’ new special report: “Chicago Public Schools fails its Hispanic students: Only 17 of every 100 read at grade level.”
Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski was joined by Jonathan Serrano, a former candidate for state representative (IL-03), former CPS employee, and community leader on the city’s west side and Rob Cruz, a parent advocate, former school board member and candidate for Congress (IL-06).
Read more from Wirepoints:
- Wirepoints’ Chicago School Report Card Database
- Illinois lawmakers face two choices on Invest in Kids Act: support schoolchildren or support teachers unions
- Chicago Public Schools wants help with massive deficits despite billions in federal aid, plummeting enrollment
- 50 years of failure: Norman Lear’s ‘Good Times’ first criticized Chicago’s policy of automatically passing students in 1974. It’s still happening today.
Audio and summary 
If this bill passes, say goodbye to local control over all Illinois parks and expect to see open drug and alcohol use, needles, no sanitation and fire hazards, but no ordinary park users.
WP deserves a lot of credit for getting this done. I’m sure a lot of work went into it. And, as I recall, there’s already been a response from the CPS CFO regarding the broadcast during a radio interview – “Nothing to see here, we’ve got it fixed – move along.” If that’s the best response Martinez can come up with (after vetting it with BJ et al, no doubt) then I’d say they’re in for a rough ride. I hope Chicago’s Hispanic community really puts its influence to work on K-12 grade level performance. What’s going on in our… Read more »
Richard Cheese hasn’t downvoted you yet.
If $4600 of the $30,000 perstudent is being spent at the school on education, where is the rest of it going? Pensions? Administrators?
This needs to be brought to the local level, in a language they speak. Parents need to get informed which will fire them up.
Great job guys! I hate to critique, but you made one huge mistake with the picture. Any guesses?
Tell us, Dave. Don’t see it.
Ted, great job. You need to list who the other speakers where and how they where invited to press conference. Mr Cruz and the second person didn’t give his name. Or did I miss something?
Done!