Chicago Public Schools chief Barbara Byrd-Bennett offered an upbeat vision of the district's future during an event Tuesday night, a dramatically different take from that given by Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis in a speech earlier in the day.
Byrd-Bennett, speaking at the Chase Auditorium downtown as part of the Tribune's "Chicago Forward" series, went so far as to predict an end to an often-contentious relationship with the teachers union.
Two years from now, Byrd-Bennett predicted, "The headline will be 'CTU and CPS lock arms.'"
That comment elicited laughter from the crowd, but Byrd-Bennett said, "There will be collaboration."
Lewis offered a more stark assessment during a speech at a City Club of Chicago luncheon. Lewis said she feared the layoffs of 850 CPS teachers and workers announced last week were "just the tip of the iceberg" for a system facing a $1 billion deficit.
Lewis repeated her opposition to the district's decision to close 49 elementary schools and one high school program, most in outlying neighborhoods even as money is put into schools closer to downtown.
"Where will this impact be felt the most?" she asked about the district's downsizing. "In predominantly African-American communities."
Lewis did not directly criticize Mayor Rahm Emanuel but went after his kitchen Cabinet of educational advisers as wealthy "elites" from the venture capital and corporate world and questioned the presumptuousness of "rich white people."
"When will we address the effect that rich white people think they know what's in the best interest of children of African-Americans and Latinos, no matter what the parents' income or education level?" she asked.
Several of Emanuel's unofficial education advisers come from the world of high finance, including wealthy money manager Bruce Rauner, who is a candidate for the Republican nomination for governor. Rauner and others have sought more charter schools, and the GOP candidate has been an outspoken critic of the teachers union.
Byrd-Bennett said she meets every two weeks with Lewis to talk about policy. She said that if her five-year action plan for CPS is followed, student performance will improve, attendance will go up and fewer students will drop out.
"The stars are aligned for Chicago to make a dramatic difference in the way we educate our children," said Byrd-Bennett, who was interviewed by Bruce Dold, Tribune editorial page editor.
After this year's round of school closings, Byrd-Bennett said she will hold firm on the promised five-year moratorium on shutting down schools. She also dismissed rumors that she won't be sticking around to see her plans through.
"If you're betting on me leaving, move your bet. I plan to be here," she said.
Outside the Chase Auditorium, about 30 protesters held a mock "toilet paper drive" to protest cuts to school budgets they say could come down to reducing the amount of that product available at schools.
"CPS still continues to insist that school budgets have not been cut, but there's been huge cuts," said Erica Clark, co-founder of parent group Parents 4 Teachers. "Now schools are not going to be able to afford toilet paper, let alone teachers, textbooks and art supplies."
When the protest was raised inside the auditorium, Byrd-Bennett said she would look into reports of cuts to toilet paper supplies.
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