Chicago Public School system removes 2 principals amid investigation into how sexual abuse allegations handled

Simeon High School (8147 S Vincennes Ave) by Eric Allix Rogers

We've shared a few piece with regards to sexual abuse allegations within Chicago Public Schools. For our purposes we're just going to focus on the removal of the principal of nearby Simeon High School over sexual abuse allegations by a school volunteer:

Sheldon House, the principal of Simeon Career Academy, was removed amid a newly disclosed allegation of sexual abuse lodged against an unnamed school volunteer. District officials said that allegation was discovered during an audit of “systemic issues” in the school’s background check process.
...
“As a result of district-led investigations into allegations of sexual abuse, two CPS principals were removed from their positions today due to initial findings that suggest they did not effectively safeguard their students,” Chicago Public Schools CEO Janice Jackson said in a statement.

“Investigations into both cases remain ongoing, and we will keep the school communities updated as this process moves forward,” she said.

The district announced the administrators’ removal barely more than a day before a scheduled Chicago Board of Education vote to change how CPS investigates allegations of sexual misconduct by adults against students, as well as new practices that would require employees to inform child welfare authorities and supervisors of “any interactions or behaviors which suggest that an adult has or had an inappropriately intimate relationship with a child or may be grooming a child,” even if the employee does not have “reasonable suspicion” of whether any abuse occurred.
...
At Simeon, CPS officials said they launched an internal review of “management practices designed to keep students safe,” which occurred amid a Tribune investigation that documented the school’s failure to conduct a mandated criminal background check before making Gerald Gaddy an assistant coach of the boys wrestling and girls track teams starting in 2010.
...
CPS officials said the Simeon audit found “systemic issues” in the school’s handling of volunteer background checks, while uncovering an unspecified, new allegation of sexual abuse by an unidentified Simeon volunteer.

The recent allegation “was not handled in accordance with CPS policy,” according to the district. The volunteer is now barred from the school, and the allegation is under investigation.

CPS said it selected Patricia Woodson, a retired former principal, to lead the school until a new principal is selected by Simeon’s local school council.

 Hat-tip Newsalert

Will Outrage Lead to Political Change in Chicago?

If you followed our twitter feed over the weekend we shared a number of tweets with regards to an emerging sexual abuse scandal at Chicago Public Schools. I think one of those tweets has reports an incident that took place at nearby Simeon High School involving a track coach.

This tweet found at the Newsalert blog yesterday is from Dan Proft who offered his comments.

Is this enough? Is systemic sexual abuse of children in CPS enough for Chicagoans to hold their political leadership accountable for the first time in my lifetime? I ask because I honestly don't know the answer. https://t.co/1Pml7Oj594

— Dan Proft (@DanProft) June 6, 2018

The title for this post comes from the Newsalert blog and Steve Bartin added this simple statement "Don't bet on it". And I'm more in line with Dan Proft - who for those of you who don't know is a long-time Republican activist - neither of us knows the answer to that question.

It's very serious to talk about sexual abuse of public school students. And let's go further we're learning more and more about sexual harassment in state government. Just yesterday news broke of allegations of sexual harrassment towards state house speaker Madigan's chief of staff Tom Mapes which sparked Mr. Mapes to resign. Regardless who knows if this will result in long term political changes.

Simeon students trash Chatham Market Walmart on 83rd last Thursday

[VIDEO] I'm with Alderman Howard Brookins (Ward 21) where Simeon and the Walmart is located. Ald. Brookins years ago was at the front of a battle to bring Walmart to the south side and by 2011 it was time for a ground breaking to build this store. Indeed it's hard work to bring national retailers to south side neighborhoods as Chatham only for this activity to happen.

As you know last week there were nationwide protests against guns last week and high school students around the nation took part in demonstrations. Unfortunately there were a group of young people who took advantage of being allowed to take part in these protest to engage in this form of mayhem. Not just outright trash the local Walmart store, also to engage in small time theft.

From FOX 32:

Chicago police say it started when students at neighboring Simeon Career Academy were allowed to leave the school for 17 minutes to take part in the nationwide walkout to protest guns.

Police say between 40 and 60 of those students crossed the street and trashed parts of the store, knocking over product displays, yanking items off shelves, breaking packages and stealing small items like chips and candy.

In a statement, a Chicago Public Schools spokesperson says: "We are very concerned by these allegations and we are reviewing the matter."

Some of the students that FOX 32 talked to at Simeon say they're angry that a walkout intended to promote peace instead led to vandalism and violence.

In my mind, now this can lead to questions as to whether or not students should be allowed to leave school to engage in activism. I'm all for our young people engaging in various aspects of their civic duty which is certainly to protest, however, we can never tolerate unfortunate incidents such as this.

#NEXTGEN Youth Summit at Simeon Career Academy

 Just got this in via e-mail today.

• 21st Ward Alderman Howard B. Brookins, Jr. to Host 
  2017 #NEXTGEN Youth Summit in the South Side of Chicago
  
  2017 Youth Summit at Simeon Career Academy
  
  Chicago – On October 14, Alderman Howard B. Brookins, Jr. teams up with various organizations, schools, and community leaders to host the 2017 #NEXTGEN Youth Summit. The Youth Summit will take place at Simeon Career Academy located at 8147 S. Vincennes starting at 9:00am and ending at 4:00pm.
  
  This is the first year that Alderman Brookins will be hosting a Youth Summit in the 21st Ward. “I think it is extremely important that we as leaders and adults develop opportunities for young people to learn and get inspired to become positive productive citizens of our ward and the city,” stated 21st Ward Alderman Howard B. Brookins, Jr., Chairman of the Committee on Education and Child Development.
  
  The Youth Summit will be filled with keynote speakers, live entertainment, and workshops on career development, college readiness, health and nutrition, STEM, entrepreneurship, public speaking and art. In addition, the Youth Summit will have two panel discussions – one will focus on Government and Politics and its Effect on Young People and the other will focus on Violence in Chicago. Lastly, there will be an area where various organizations will disseminate information to all of the participants. 
  
  For additional information please contact the 21st Ward Office at 773-881-9300.

Flyer posted to our ig page.

DNA Info: Roseland Teens Help Fix Up Abandoned Homes To Rent

Something you may have seen on our ig

I think this is what we'd all like to see more of in our communities. No more stories about the youth causing trouble in our neighborhoods more about them deciding to help build it back up. That's what the young men in this story are doing.

Simeon Career Academy senior Hakeem Day would rather be working with his hands than in the streets.

“I’ve been interested in construction since I was a little kid and this gives me the opportunity to practice for the future because I plan on doing this in the future,” said the 18-year-old Roseland resident.

He is getting that opportunity through a new youth and trades After School Matters program.

Aaron Mallory, 28, of Roseland started the program through his nonprofit God Restoring Order, or G.R.O. He’s working with a group of high school teens from schools including Simeon, Morgan Park and the Noble charter schools

The goal is to improve the community one block at a time by rehabbing the abandoned homes, and Mallory is doing just that with the help of local teens. They’re finishing up work on their first home near 109th Street and Wentworth Avenue.

The reporter for this story Andrea Watson has a poll up asking "Should our teens learn the trades?" My answer would be yes, we need carpenters, mechanics, pipe fitters, plumbers, etc. Trades in addition to helping our young people get into college. Different programs and different options.

At that learn a trade and be a value to our community and earn some community service credits. I forgot about getting valuable job experience.

Read the whole thing.

Candidate forums on Saturday

DNA Info wrote about a candidate forum coming to Lindblom High School in Englewood - 6130 S. Wolcott Ave. - where Alderman from various ward representing that community will be there. That includes candidates for 6th Ward alderman. All candidates are invited and necessary information is provided in the article.

Also on Saturday the NAACP forums will be later that afternoon at Simeon High School - 8147 S. Vincennes Ave.- and these forums will include candidates for wards 6, 9, & 21. Candidates from ward 9 will kick off the festivities starting at 1 PM. We advertised this event last month and the flyer is below for this event.

NAACP Chicago Aldermanic & Mayoral Forums...

If you live in wards 6, 9, & 21 on February 7, 2015 you can check out candidates for your wards and mayoral candidates at Simeon High School located at 8147 S. Vincennes Ave. Of course there are different times for the candidates forum for the schedule wards. Refer to the flyer above titles 2015 candidates forum.

Simeon ??? High School

It has been known as Simeon Vocational and is currently Simeon Career Academy, but what will the future hold. This past week the Chicago Public Schools announced the discontinuance of the electrical and automotive programs http://www.chicagocrusader.com/chicago/N... . Previously, they discontinued the cosmetology, graphics and machine programs. 

So since the school is no longer focusing on vocational training what is the focus? Better yet, what is the future. Is this the first phase of "reengineering" the school into a "selective enrollment" school, STEM??? Academy, or turning it over to a charter school operator? 

While the cosmetology program crashed and burned, the school made great strides improving their image and education offerings. Simeon was rebuilt in the 90's for $35 million which is approximately what CPS has spent on the additional for Jones and approximately half of which they spent on Payton. 

Let's keep our eyes on this.

Concerned Citizens of Chatham: Bridge to nowhere coming to Chatham?

Worlee opines on a proposed project - a one-way bridge at 85th Street - which was at first necessary for the expected traffic for the Walmart in West Chatham in order to ease the congestion on 87th Street. Now he's concerned there's more traffic coming from the new development from Rev. Charles Jenkins' Legacy Project.

In addition a charter high school - expected to be a Concept school - has been approved to be housed in the development located at 8522 S. Lafayette Ave. It was reported recently of course that Rev. Jenkins is to be a landlord to this school and also noted was his connections with Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

Worlee also notes in light of this new development:

This application comes in light of the fact that 10 years ago taxpayers footed the $35 million bill for Simeon Vocational High School which will be less than a half mile away. Also within a two mile radius there are four high schools available. Harlan High School, which is a STEM school, Simeon Vocational. Robeson High School, and Perspectives Calumet High School, which is a charter high school. The only logical reason this school was approved was to reward one of the mayor's African American pastor buddies. His buddy Pastor Charles Jenkins has attempted to build a church campus on this site for several years and now that he has a source of revenue that  helps make this a bankable project.

In any case what say you?

Ben Wilson: A Dream Unfulfilled

  Basketball fans know the names Marcus Liberty, Nick Anderson, Derrick Rose and the 2012-13 consensus #1 high school basketball player Jabari Parker. Marcus Liberty, from Chicago King was the #1 player in the country in 1985 and the rest attended Simeon High School. Chicago basketball fans know all those names and one more Ben Wilson. Ben Wilson became the first Chicago Public League basketball player to be named the consensus #1 basketball player in the country.

 17-year-old Ben (Benji) Wilson was a symbol of everything promising about Chicago. A sweet-natured youngster from the city's fabled South Side, Chatham community, and America's top high school basketball prospect. Nicknamed "Magic Johnson with a jump shot," Wilson's natural talents and drive assured his best years were yet to come.  Ben Wilson  was tragically killed in November 1984 the day before his senior season ,the outpouring of grief city-wide was unprecedented.

 While I understand this ESPN produced this documentary for television I felt that this documentary needed to be shown on the big screen. I feel that all high school students and athletes especially basketball players need to see this documentary. They need to understand that the senseless violence must stop and the hurt of this violence affects more than the person it is afflicted on but it hurts family,friends, team mates, communities, etc.

 I was present at the memorial put on by his Simeon teammates. The memorial held on the courts he made at Cole Park,was attended by Chicago High School basketball elite. Recently, Cole Park has again become a place where basketball best play as the former #1 college player and the current #1 high school playerhave recently played. Unfortunately, I also saw first hand the pain of his death that still exist.

 The timing of this documentary is amazing as in 1984, the 2012-13 consensus #1 high school basketball player again is a Simeon student Jabari Parker.

  The producers and ESPN thought this documentary needed to be seen as well. The documentary has been shown at film festivals around the country including the Tribeca Film Festival in New York. Last month a special screening took place for the family and close friends on one night and Nike sponsored an invitation only screening the next night at Simeon High School. Now it time for the rest of Chicago to see what so many have talked about.

The Chicago International Film Festival  screened the documentary, three times last week including two screeings with the producers Chike and Coodie.

Finally,  ESPN will air the documentary Tuesday
 October 23,2012
 7pm
 FREE
  

For more information on Ben Wilson, please visit the official website for the Ben Wilson Foundation http://alive-25.com/, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/178516408948866/?fref=ts or Twitter #neverforgotten

Benji- The Ben Wilson Story

The story of Ben Wilson is now complete. "Benji", a documentary is now playing at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, New York. The documentary was produced for ESPN but we need it to be shown on the big screen here.

For those who do not know the story,

In 1984, 17-year-old Ben Wilson was a symbol of everything promising about Chicago: a sweet-natured youngster from the city's fabled South Side, and America's top high school basketball prospect. Nicknamed "Magic Johnson with a jump shot," Wilson's natural talents and drive assured his best years were yet to come. Then, in November of his senior year, the career of this exceptional youngster was abruptly and tragically cut short. Ben's grim fate sent ripples of horror through the city and the country. 

Today, in 2012 , consensus number 1 high school basketball player in the country again comes from Simeon High School. As a community, city and nation we cannot allow history to repeat itself. Please contact ICE Chatham 14 Theater @ Ice.info@icetheaters.com or your local theater and let them know you want to view this film

Town Hall Meeting: End Violence in Englewood

TOPIC:  WE CAN SAVE OUR CHILDREN

 

Englewood is in crisis!  Whether it is Robeson, Harper, Shields, Simeon, Nicholson or even Hyde Park or Church’s Chicken, our children sit at the epicenter of some form of gang conflict that is beyond our understanding, and young lives are at risk daily.  We lost 60 souls in 2011, and the number is rising in 2012.

 

On Saturday, March 31, 2012, Imagine Englewood if, Teamwork Englewood and other community partners will host a very important Town Hall Meeting to plan anti-violence strategies.  Among those serving on a special panel are Shango Johnson, Violence Interrupter for CEASEFIRE, State Representative Esther Golar, Mark C. Walsh, Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence, Syron Smith, National Block Club University, John Paul Jones, Community Organizer, Cordell Payne, Safety Net Works, and David Moore, former 17th Ward Aldermanic Candidate.

 

We appeal to youth, community leaders, pastors, elected officials, as well as residents to attend this meeting to create an Action Plan to combat violence in the Englewood community.  Reducing gun violence and violent crime must become a community-wide imperative.  Our strongest voices must form a united front committed to meaningful changes in public policy. We can’t afford to keep losing our children.

 

The event will be held at Imagine Englewood if, 730 W. 69^th St., Chicago, IL, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  For further information, contact us at 773.488.6704; fax: 773.488.6705; email: jhill705@sbcglobal.net; info@imagineenglewoodif.org.  Food and Refreshments will be served.

 

Yours in Peace.

 

Jean Carter-Hill, Co-founder and Executive Director,

“Imagine Englewood if. . .!”

Advocate for Youth Empowerment & a Lead-free Englewood

 

 

Mission Statement

 

Imagine Englewood if’s… mission is to strengthen and empower the greater Englewood community through teaching local youth healthy living, lead awareness and positive communication skills. IEi… motivates youth and their families to seek a positive quality of life and encourages them to pursue positive change.

 

Now here's a volunteer opportunity at our neighborhood schools...

Courtesy of an e-mail blast from the Greater Chatham Alliance and perhaps an answer to a recent post. Let us know if you plan to be at any of these schools to volunteer!

Join The Black Star Project's Chicago High School Alumni Associations and Celebrate the opening of Chicago High Schools

In Chicago, alumni from our area high schools are invited to be at their old high schools on the opening day on:

Monday, September 6

Let's welcome students back to school and if you can, volunteer some time to make your old high school great again!!

All Chicago Alumni should call 773.285.9600 to become actively involved with their former high school.

Black Star Project Foundation will plan activities that improve schools and serve students.

These High Schools' Alumni are committed to making changes at the schools below. Why not join them!

Aquinas - Austin - Bogan - Bowen - Brother Rice - Calumet - Carver - Chicago Agricultural School - CVS - Collins - Corliss - Crane - Creiger - Curie - DeLaSalle - Dunbar - DuSable - Englewood - Farragut - Fenger - Hales Franciscan - Harlan - Harper - Harrison - Hirsch - Hubbard - Hyde Park - Jones - Juarez - Julian - Kenwood - Lane Tech - Leo - Longwood - Lucy Flowers - Manley - Marshall Mendel - Mercy - Morgan Park - Mount Carmel - Orr - Parker - Payton - Phillips - Providence-St. Mel Richards - Robeson -Roosevelt - Simeon - South Shore - Spaulding - St. Patricks - Taft - Tilden - Von Steuben - Waller - Washington - Westinghouse - Whitney Young

Catholic High Schools not in existence should call Black Star to request a Catholic High School to assist at.

The Black Star Project!

UPDATE: Riot at Simeon???

Some more details from friend Pat Hickey on the riot near Simeon:

The Power outage occured at around 11:15 AM on May 28.

We determined that lunch could not be provided (total blackout) and that for the safety of the kids we get them home from Leo.

After about forty minutes all the students were ushered out and boarded CTA. At 12:30 or so I headed south on Vincennces and was forced back due the squads responding.

A riot at Simeon broke out when the power failed. The fighting spilled out into the neighborhood. The fighting went from 83rd all the way to 79th Street.

It seems that CPS put a news embargo on.

A bit troubling that no one has heard about this disturbance. I only post this because who knows if this could have spread out of control going east.

Previous post: Riot at Simeon???

Riot at Simeon???

From Pat Hickey's blog With Both Hands. He starts off talking about how Sun-Times columnist Mark Brown compared the now convicted Chicago Police officer Anthony Abbate with recently deceased police officer Alejandro Valadez. Basically a criticism of a recent Brown column and then go into what he believes the Police did great:

Mark obeys his highers and betters. He stays supine when told to lay down. Like when there is another CPS News embargo on 'bad situations.' Like this one -

A riot took place at Simeon High School during a ComEd power grid failure two weeks ago. Gangbangers rioted in the school and out into the community form 83rd Street to 79th Street. Police Officers quieted the riot without a death or serious injury to the 'the children.' Mark Brown had his head somewhere else, when Police Oficers were doing exactly what they do every day here in Auburn/Gresham/Brainerd/Englewood and Chatham.

Ask a cop from the 6th, 7th, 8th, or 22nd District - they responded to the riot. I don't need to; I saw it. We got the kids of Leo High School home and safe without incident because of Chicago Police standard operating procedures. When the lights went out at Simeon, however . . .hold the phone.

Has anyone else heard about this and about what time of day was this?