Families gather outside the first public hearing on closing the Dr. Bessie Rhodes School of Global Studies, District 65’s only fully bilingual school, on April 22, 2024. Families of the Dr. Bessie Rhodes School of Global Studies filled the room at Monday’s Evanston/Skokie School District 65 meeting, the first of several public hearings to discuss the possible closing of the district’s only full bilingual school.
“It breaks my heart, and nothing about this is easy or feels good,” District 65 Superintendent Angel Turner said at the April 22 public hearing., with Turner arguing the district can’t fund its 19 schools while also planning for the opening of a new 5th Ward school in 2026.
“We recognize that this shift has a significant impact on the Bessie Rhodes community and we know this is not what currently enrolled families signed up for,” she said. “Our school board and administration are faced with difficult decisions … I want to assure you that we do care and we take our responsibility seriously to have a strong student-centered transition plan in place should the decision be made to close Bessie Rhodes.
Others argue the district chose Bessie Rhodes because of its largely low income and minority population, with speakers citing over 90% of the 275 students at the school are of a minority group and nearly two thirds of students are from low income families. “Your individual decisions are an injustice to my son, my brown son,” Acosta said. “Without sound justification or a sound strategy, you are harming Black and brown children in our school.”Former District 65 Board of Education member Rebeca Mendoza closed out public comment, saying if Bessie Rhodes is shuttered, it will be another historic harm perpetuated by District 65.
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