Trumbull Community Fights Closure With Passion, Facts

Parents and teachers from Trumbull Elementary School pleaded with Chicago Public Schools officials for nearly two hours Tuesday night, all saying one thing: keep the school open. 

The Andersonville elementary school was one of 54 on a list for closure, CPS announced in March. Schools have three public hearings to change officials’ minds before a May 22 Board of Education vote.

The first hearing on the school’s closure was at Amundsen High School Tuesday night, where the community could speak against the closings from 5 to 7 p.m. 

About 15 people signed up to speak, largely consisting of Trumbull teachers, parents and local school council representatives. When the list of speakers ended at about 5:45, residents spoke a second and third time to reiterate their points.

Rather than answer questions, CPS Transportation Director Paul Osland, Treasurer Jenny Wong and Chief of Alternative Schools Jennifer Vidis, were there to listen to the crowd of about 60 people. 

Ravenswood resident Amanda Dunakin called the process disingenuous, feeling the closure was already a done deal.

“My concern now is overall in CPS I feel that through this process there’s been a lack of transparency,” she said. “I would like CPS to tell the community what’s really going on.” 

Dunakin moved to Ravenswood with the intent of sending her future children to McPherson Elementary. Even though that school is safe from the CPS chopping block, Dunakin is re-thinking her decision about public school.

“I also question the fact that CPS claims that they’re going to do this to close the (budget) deficit, but then provide an iPad to all the 3rd through 8th graders at each of the receiving schools, which it seems like they shouldn’t be able to afford if they have this giant deficit and have to close schools,” she said. 

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The school district put Trumbull on the list of closings because its enrollment has declined 33 percent in the last decade and is now at 54 percent of its enrollment capacity according to a CPS formula. 

But parents refute the district’s analysis, saying the numbers don't add up. According to their calculations, the school is at 88 percent capacity once special education classes are taken into account.

“The fact that these children need you the most… and you’re going to close this school makes absolutely no sense,” said Trumbull local school council member James Morgan, whose 9-year-old son, Jonah, also spoke in favor of keeping the school open. 

The current CPS utilization formula uses a 30-student homeroom average to calculate capacity. Because Trumbull has a 37 percent special education population, its class sizes are smaller as mandated by the state. 

Morgan contests the school is actually 88 percent utilized after recalculating for the mandated smaller class sizes. 

With 88 percent enrollment, the school would stay open. CPS CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett said she wouldn’t close a school above 80 percent capacity.

District officials also said the building would require a $16.3 million investment to maintain and bring up to code.

That’s a “significantly higher” figure than is actually needed, according to Ward 40 Ald. Patrick O’Connor. A top-of-the-line school would cost that much, but for basic maintenance, the district would only need to spend $4 million, he said. The alderman advocated to keep the school open and was the first speaker at the meeting.  

Nearby McPherson, McCutcheon and Chappell Elementary Schools will take in Trumbull students if the school closes. Those three are all higher performing schools than Trumbull, but that doesn’t put some parents’ minds at ease.

“This is my family. You’re taking away something from us,” said Trumbull parent of two Donna Davis.

Davis pulled her children out of McCutcheon after seeing gang activity, drugs and violence.

“There’s no violence at Trumbull,” she said.

Trumbull parents and teachers will have two more opportunities to voice their opinions.

• Friday, April 12, 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
  Amundsen High School, 5110 N. Damen Avenue
• Friday, April 26, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
  CPS Central Office, 125 N. Clark Street  

Read More:

• Public Meetings Set for Schools on CPS Chopping Block
• 'We Are Closing Too Many Schools' Alderman Says