Kelvin Park High School

I’m currently involved in a program called “Kelvin Park”, the program allows New Trier Students and Kelvin Park students to interact, and compare and contrast the differences in our school, our education and most importantly why these differences occur.  Prominent American values are equality and the right to an education.  Every child in America is required to attend school up until high school.  Yet, education differs depending on where you are.  Poorer education meaning lack of involvement from teachers, and lack of resources is common in poorer neighborhoods.  Why should something as important as education; the key to your future, be jeopardized by lack of money?  

          Here at New Trier we very fortunate our school ridiculously well funded, due to the higher taxes on our houses we are able to spends 19,415 dollars per pupil.  Yet in North Chicago (where Kelvin Park is located) houses are very small and the funding is really lacking, they can only afford to spend 13,025 per pupil.

Due to the lack of funding Kelvin Park had to fire multiple teachers from the KW and Art programs.  Mrs. Katie is a former Art teacher at Kelvin Park, she attended the Art Institute of Chicago and art has always been her passion.  Now Mrs. Katie is working in the Special Education Department, her frustration is understandable. 

        The school had four principals in the last year, because they continued to fail to find the right match; this creates an unstable environment for students, which does not support a quality education.  With different principals come different regulations and rules so students have to constantly keep up with the change.  Students admitted that this was “very distracting”.

Due to the lack of administration its common for students to have had up to seven schedule changes so far this year!  That’s another unnecessary change students have to deal with.  This also does not support and quality, focused education.   These are just a few of the areas CPS education is lacking.   To what extent do you think schools should differ depending on if they are located in wealthy of poor neighborhoods?  Do we pay for our education or is it a right?