We need bold solutions to solve Chicago’s inequality

Many of my students, most of whom are black or Latino, hunger for lessons that reflect their experiences and history. Recently, a class guest talked about the 1919 Chicago Race Riot. When asked, none of my 150 juniors knew anything about the riots or their impact on racial segregation in Chicago. Also, inspiring stories about black contributions are a huge gap in our curriculum.

For this and other reasons, the Chicago Teachers Union is sponsoring a Black Lives Matter in School week the first week of February. While Chicago has the second-largest black population of any city in the country, a recent study by the University of Illinois at Chicago shows a loss of 350,000 black residents since 1980. The causes range from Great Depression levels of unemployment, destruction of affordable housing, over-aggressive policing, record foreclosures, and decades of divestment.

We must address the deep racial inequities driving this displacement. Lift the state ban on rent control and rehab foreclosed housing to provide every one of our 16,000 homeless students and their families a home. To address unemployment, initiate work projects to replace lead pipes and install solar panels in residential areas. Lastly, our students deserve to be taught by educators of color. Why not grant every CPS graduate a full ride at Chicago State University if they become teachers?

Brave and bold solutions will demonstrate real support for Black Lives Matter in our schools, communities and city.

Jackson Potter, Brighton Park

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