This week's cover story on the disappointing state report card for Springfield's public schools is a study in frustration. Students, teachers and administrators trying their hardest aren't moving the education needle much. A frustrated community may blame the schools, but these are good schools, or it may blame parents, but most parents take heroic measures to get their kids an education. Give careful attention to the frustration voiced by Illinois Superintendent of Education Tony Sanders: "We educate Black students disproportionately in underfunded schools that have more teacher vacancies, higher teacher and principal turnover, higher chronic absenteeism," he said. "So our Black students in general have less access to supports, to the resources they need to learn at the rate to be on par with their peers." We as a community should address disparities, so that all our children are given a chance. – Fletcher Farrar, editor
Editor's note 12-07-23
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