A group of more than 20 black ministers are joining a growing coalition of parents and community members concerned over the slashing of an after-school tutoring program.
About 40,000 Chicago Public Schools students were cut from the program when the school board decided to waiver half of $115 million in federal funds for Title I students.
Now community members, parents and the ministers are asking why the funds were cut, where the money went and why the school district isn't serving the 72,000 students who signed up for the program, according to a news release.
The ministers believe the reduction of students in the program will increase violence on the city streets, according to a letter to the school board signed by 23 ministers.
"As a result of the district’s decision to kick 40,000 students out of after-school tutoring programs, many parents throughout our community and in our congregations are now dealing with the difficulties of finding ways to keep their kids safe after school and getting them the extra classroom help they received in the tutoring program," the letter said.
A group of more than 750 parents, educators, legislators and community leaders against the cuts have formed the Safe and Fair Education Coalition.
Recently, Aldermen George Cardenas and Howard Brookins, Jr. penned a City Council resolution asking the school board to restore the funding for the program.
The ministers' letter to the school board is below:
Chicago Board of Education
125 South Clark Street, 6th Floor
Chicago, Illinois 60603
Dear Members of the Board,
We write to express our concerns about cuts in funding for after-school tutoring programs, which we believe are critically important to our community. Not only do after-school tutoring programs help our kids with reading, writing and math, but they also keep them safe and off the streets after school.
All of us are concerned about increasing youth violence on the streets of Chicago. We appreciate the effort that CPS is making to protect our kids and we stand ready to help address this challenge in any we can. As a result of the district’s decision to kick 40,000 students out of after-school tutoring programs, many parents throughout our community and in our congregations are now dealing with the difficulties of finding ways to keep their kids safe after school and getting them the extra classroom help they received in the tutoring program.
The children of our community need every opportunity to learn, be successful and stay safe. Dramatically cutting after-school tutoring programs and putting 40,000 kids on the streets largely unsupervised is not the way to accomplish this. Keeping them in the classroom is, and we urge you to restore funding for after-school tutoring programs.
Sincerely,
Pastor Leon Miller, Mt. Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church and President, New Baptist Ministers Fellowship of Chicago & Vicinity
Reverend James Boyd, First Unity Missionary Baptist Church
Reverend. Harry Bullard
Reverend John Collins, Great True Vine Missionary Baptist Church
Reverend L.K. Curry, Emmanuel Baptist Chirch
Reverend James Healy
Pastor Abel Laurent
Reverend Lunell McGee, Eureka Missionary Baptist Church
Reverend Anthony McMalh
Reverend OC Morgan, Evening Star Baptist Church
Pastor Johnny Miller, Mount Vernon Baptist Church
Reverend Matthew Miller, Rising Sun Missionary Baptist Church
Reverend Gregory Moore, Rock of Ages Baptist Church
Elder Steve Nelson, Christian Love Missionary Baptist Church
Reverend Cletis Seals, Travelers Rest Baptist Church
Bishop James Springfield, Jr., Greater White Stone Missionary Baptist Church
Reverend Willie Southworth, True Story Missionary Baptist Church
Reverend John Thames
Elder John Thomas, First Nazareth Missionary Baptist Church
Reverend Samuel Toe, Greater White Stone Missionary Baptist Church
Reverend Dr. Walter P. Turner, III, New Light Spiritual Missionary Baptist Church
Reverend Ira Weaton, Greater Omega Baptist Church
Reverend Robert Williams, Greater Bethlehem Baptist Church