Remember, Byrd-Bennett's promise(s)?

One of my favorite quotes comes from Mark Twain who said, "If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything." The problem for Rahm and Byrd-Bennett is that they lie and we remember.

We remember, for example, Byrd-Bennett's promise that schools would be closed only if the displaced children could be sent to better schools.

But back in April, we knew something was amiss. The Sun-Timed reported that only 2/3 of the kids actually ended up at a higher-rated school.

Catalyst

Now you can toss those figures out as well. Sarah Karp at Catalyst has up-to-date numbers and the S-T wasn't even close. She writes:

Now, with the revelation that only 60 percent of displaced students enrolled in their designated welcoming school, the academic performance at the schools where they landed becomes an important X-factor, made even more critical by the fact that the Consortium on Chicago School Research has found that closings are only beneficial if students end up in the top-performing schools.

And of that 60%, only about half are enrolled in higher-rated schools. Abysmal!

MILITARIZING AMES

We also remember CPS Board President David Vitale repeatedly assuring Ames Middle School parents that there were no plans to make Ames a military school. Ames parents celebrated the announcement along with principal Turon Ivy, who said he too was happy to hear the news. "That brings great news to us — not just to the school, but also to the community," he said, adding that there was still a lot to be done to improve the school.

The celebration's over. Vitale lied.

Here's the lead in yesterday's S-T:

As Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced plans to transform a Logan Square school into a military academy Tuesday, parents of Ames Middle School students chanted “Ames is not for sale” outside.

Rubbing more salt into the would, Rahm said he will use $7 million in TIF funds to make Ames the permanent home for the Marine Math & Science Academy. Chicago has become the mecca for militarization and leads the nation in the number of military academies. BTW, the Marine Academy, despite Rahm's claims, is not a high-performing school. Only 1% of their students exceeded reading standards and 0% in math.

Chicago Teachers Union president Karen Lewis said in a statement Tuesday that the decision was “yet another betrayal of children by Mayor Emanuel and his appointing school board.” She said hundreds of Ames parents, students and residents have participated in several meetings to support the school, which she said had improved its academic standing in recent years.

Lots to remember here.