Attention--other school districts

This isn't the way you want to begin the new school year--federal investigators in your principals' offices and school board prez Michael Scott sitting in front of a grand jury.

Asked whether he has ever made a call on behalf of someone else, Scott said, "Nope. Never." Asked whether he had ever heard of a call being placed to get a student clouted in, he said, "That's a different question. You asked me if I made a call. No comment. It's an ongoing investigation." (Sun-Times)

Daley's pretzel logic

Mayor Daley continues to argue that the clout scandal "is a good thing." He says, it shows how attractive Chicago public schools have become, prompting one commentator to respond: "That's like saying car theft is a good thing because it shows how badly people want fancy cars."

Daley's defense of clout-based admissions to the city's few selective-enrollment schools is really a testament to his failed Renaissance 2010 initiative and the length's some people will go to escape the second tier of his under-resourced, racially segregated, two-tier school system. Ren10 was from the start, a plan to widen the gap between the two tiers which only encouraged clout-based admissions (a clear violation of the court-ordered desegregation plan).