Free Republic

Toughest reform: 3 schools to close Printer-friendly format Search archivesPhoto'We don't believe these schools as they currently exist, will measure up.' -- Chicago schools chief Arne Duncan (Tribune photo by Chris Walker ) April 10, 2002 Video By Lori Olszewski and Ana Beatriz Cholo, Tribune staff reporters. Tribune staff reporter Sam Eifling contributed to this reportPublished April 11, 2002 Taking the most drastic step yet in seven years of reform efforts, Chicago Public Schools officials on Wednesday announced they will close three failing elementary schools and transfer the pupils. This is the first time officials have shuttered schools for poor...

Prosecutors told jurors Friday there were reasons to send Andrea Yates to death row for drowning her children in their bathtub but said they could accept a life prison term. ``Those children never had a chance and you need to think about those children,'' district attorney Kaylynn Williford said in closing arguments during the punishment phase of the mentally ill woman's capital murder trial. ``Mankind has been disturbed about taking their lives. ``You need to think about the pain and fear and terror they went through when they died. ... You have lived through and suffered through the evidence of...