Jonathan Kozol Visits CTC and Partner Schools

Author and educator Jonathan Kozal visited the Chicago Teachers’ Center (CTC) and its partner schools Friday October 25th, the day after speaking to a full audience at Northeastern Illinois University’s main campus.  Beginning his day at Andersen Elementary School, a partner school in the GEAR UP West Town Learning Network, Kozol visited classrooms and soaked in the stories and activities of teachers and students.  Lunch at CTC gave Jonathan and opportunity to hear from teachers, parents and CTC staff about challenges and successes facing Chicago schools.  An afternoon visit to Lozano Bilingual Academy, again gave Kozol the chance to experience learning and teaching in Chicago schools, clearly his priority when planning his schedule.

Participants in the lunch discussion included teachers Ann Cline (Lozano Academy), Maria Mercado (Andersen Elementary) and Gwynne Ryan (Wells HS), parent advocates Patricia Lozano (Ames MS) and Valerie Pickett (Clark MS/HS), Patricia Walsh (Associate Dean of NEIU’s College of Education), CTC & GEAR UP Director Wendy Stack, and other CTC staff.

Kozal, author of Savage Inequalities, Rachel and Her Children: Homeless Families in America and The Night Is Dark and I Am Far from Home, is an especially welcomed visitor to CTC staff, who respect and appreciate him as a voice for public school students.  The Chicago Teachers’ Center is an educational unit of Northeastern Illinois University’s College of Education.