Daley: School funding suit better than boycott

I attended a luncheon today where Chicago Schools Superintendent Arne Duncan spoke about this and many other issues surrounding the public school system.

I hope this suit works. The Chicago public schools are improving under Duncan's fantastic leadership, but the money is running out, and once it does, all improvements will stop and we'll be back where we were.

Duncan addressed the disparity between school districts, which are funded by property tax dollars, and the complaints that are often raised when people talk about it being more fair--should the wealthier areas suffer to help close that gap?

He said, and I'm paraphrasing here, that he's not talking about the wealthier areas spending less on their own students, but bringing the level of spending per student in the poorer areas up to that level.

The question is, how to do that? Right now, the issue of allowing gambling boats in Chicago, and having money from the gambling go towards the school is being considered. Duncan doesn't want to tie gambling with the schools. It's too risky. There does need to be long-term, secure solutions.

I've worked with kids in the Chicago public school system, students who are considered bright and successful amongst their peers, yet they're still no match for students at the high school in my area.

It's a social problem that has no easy answer.

I don't agree that the students should be boycotting during that first week--Duncan said as much himself--this is an adult problem that adults should fight. Students should not be fighting these problems themselves. That's our job.