Fighting Chance For Chicago Schools
Hours after Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner offered two options to provide $215 million to help the cash-strapped Chicago Public Schools, 2017 Best New Artist Grammy winner Chance the Rapper stepped up in a big way and wrote a check for $1 million to support arts programming in the district. According to The Chicago Tribune, the artist described his donation as a “call to action” and asked for matching contributions from the city’s business community.
Chance and Gov. Rauner met on March 3 to have a private conversation about funding for Chicago Public Schools (CPS). Afterward, Chance described the meeting with Rauner as “unsuccessful.” During a news conference at Westcott Elementary School in Chicago’s West Chatham neighborhood on Monday, Chance remarked, “Gov. Rauner can use his executive power to help get Chicago’s children the resources they need to fulfill their God-given right to learn. Gov. Rauner still won’t commit to give Chicago’s kids a chance without caveats or ultimatums.”
CPS officials have quietly celebrated Chance’s use of his celebrity status to discuss the district’s financial plight, with help from high profile social media posts. Chance said Gov. Rauner pulled back on an “important commitment” to ease the district’s enormous pension burden with $215 million in assistance. “Gov. Rauner broke his promise to Chicago children a few months ago as a result of an admitted emotional reaction,” Chance said. “Our kids should not be held hostage because of political positioning.” He added, “This isn’t about politics, this isn’t about posturing. This is about taking care of the kids. Everybody and their momma knows about what’s going on in Chicago, it’s constantly talked about. But we’re about to enhance the conversation.” [Photo credit: Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune]
