No small plan: Public boarding schools for Chicago (Students to stay overnight)

The Chicago Tribune ^ | March 14, 2008 | Carlos Sadovi and Stephanie Banchero

[raybbr]

Public boarding schools where homeless children and those from troubled homes could find the safety and stability to learn are being pursued by Chicago Public Schools officials.

Under the plan, still in the nascent stages, the first pilot residential program could open as soon as fall 2009. District officials hope to launch as many as six such schools in the following years, including at least one that would operate as a year-round school.

The proposal puts Chicago at the forefront of urban school reform, as cities struggle to raise the academic achievement of students hampered by dysfunctional homes and other obstacles outside school.

Some districts, including Chicago, have looked for solutions from small schools to single-sex campuses. But residential schools are a bolder -- and far more expensive -- proposition. Long an option for the affluent, boarding schools are virtually unheard of for the disadvantaged.

Chicago Public Schools chief Arne Duncan said he does not want to be in the "parenting" business, but he worries that some homes and some neighborhoods are unsafe, making education an afterthought.

"Some children should not go home at night; some of them we need 24-7," he told the Tribune. "We want to serve children who are really not getting enough structure at home. There's a certain point where dad is in jail or has disappeared and mom is on crack ... where there isn't a stable grandmother, that child is being raised by the streets."

[LilAngel]

How many drugs does it take to make you feel good about it? And why would you want to feel good about losing your Constitutional rights?

[Amelia]

It would be far better for abandoned children to be in loving families, rather than warehoused in orphanages. But there are so few families who are fostering nowadays, thanks to red tape and regulations. How very sad that this is even being considered... and how frightening for those who fear losing even more parental rights!

My mother's cousins were raised at The Bethesda Home for Boys because their father died when they were young and their mother was unable to provide for them and didn't want them on the streets. They turned into fine, upstanding citizens and held good jobs in their communities as adults.

There's the potential for abuse in any situation. Some children are abused and killed by parents and stepparents. Other children are abused and killed in foster care.

I don't know that broad-brush characterizations are helpful, and there are certainly some children I've seen that I thought would be better off in different situations -- but as others have pointed out, exactly who gets to make that determination?

[kalee]

“boarding schools are virtually unheard of for the disadvantaged.”
Incorrect the DAR has provided schools, both day and boarding, for underprivaledged since the early days of the 20th century. Good citizenship and love of country are foundations of a DAR school. Maybe the Chicago school board should look at the DAR model.

From the DAR website...
Since 1903, the Society has been helping children in remote mountain areas receive an education. The DAR supports two schools in the Appalachian region- Kate Duncan Smith DAR School, Alabama, and Tamassee DAR School, South Carolina.

Kate Duncan Smith (KDS), founded on Gunter Mountain by the Alabama DAR in 1924, is a day school, kindergarten through 12th grade, serving an area of 100 square miles. Enrollment averages 1,300 students yearly. Special emphasis is placed on responsible citizen-ship, academic achievement, and horticultural and computer skills. Preparation for college and vocational training are important parts of the curriculum.

Tamassee, founded by South Carolina DAR in 1919, gives deserving boys and girls a home, a school, and a chance in life. A faith in God and the principles of citizenship and patriotism remain the foundation of the school. Grades kindergarten through 5th are on campus.Studies are continued at Tamassee-Salem High School for grades 6-12. There are approximately 45 boarding students and 450 day students. A pre-school center for children fills a community need. Both schools are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

The following schools are on the Approved Schools list:

Berry College, Georgia was founded in 1902 to provide high school education to rural youth and became the first approved DAR school in 1904. It was developed into a college in 1926, and today, it is one of the outstanding comprehensive colleges in the South, with fully accredited art, science and professional programs as well as specialized graduate programs in education and business administration.

Crossnore School, Inc., North Carolina was founded in the early 1900s to give the children from the mountains and foothills of North Carolina a home while attending public schools in Avery County. The school also provides day care services for local children.

Hillside School, Inc., Massachusetts was founded in 1901 as a rural home for boys who were orphaned or otherwise without a home or family. It now provides a structural and supportive environment for students with learning problems. Its program stresses reading, writing, math, science, literature, social studies, fine arts, and industrial arts.

Hindman Settlement School, Kentucky was founded in 1902 to provide an educational opportunity for the youth of the mountains. Its major educational emphasis today is its work with students with dyslexic characteristics. This is the only program of its type within 200 miles.It also offers an Adult Basic Education/GED Program.

Each of these schools is given financial assistance by DAR members, including scholarships, material donations, and genuine personal interest. Over $1 million is given annually by the DAR to support these schools.

The DAR, through its American Indians Committee, assists in the education of Indian youth through scholarships and support of Bacone College, Muskogee, Oklahoma, the oldest continuing institution of higher learning in Oklahoma, and Chemawa Indian School in Salem, Oregon.

Good citizenship and love of country are taught at all of these schools.