We’re not ready to take a full stance yet on Richard T. Crane Technical Prep closing. A lot of the facts have yet to be brought out, and we haven’t heard enough about how the community feels.

But here are two things we know at this point that are coloring our opinon on both sides of the issue:

Crane was in trouble. The school’s test results have been abysmal for years, and there’s not been too much improvement lately. Some kind of change needed to happen, because things were moving much too slowly.

We still need neighborhood high schools. This is a problem we’re seeing in the South Loop, too. Not everyone can fit into charter/magnet/private schools, and the kids who are left over need an option.

So, how to balance these two things? We don’t know. Neighborhood high schools have problems largely because they get the kids that those other schools won’t take. With lower performing kids to start with, neighborhood schools are already behind the eight ball.

But that doesn’t mean these schools should be abandoned, replaced with charter schools or whatever. They simply need a kick in the pants.

We’re not sure how to balance these needs. Crane’s kids will be moved to other neighborhood schools, apparently, but it’s unclear how much of an upgrade it’ll be. In fact, combining them could cause extra problems. Crane and Marshall, one of the schools that’ll take the kids, have a fiery rivalry.

However, Crane’s performance was simply unacceptable. Despite protests from the teachers union that the school needs more time and resources to turn around, that’s simply unacceptable for the kids that go through during the improvement process.

As Chicago Public Schools CEO Jean-Claude Brizard told us before he announced the changes, these kids only get one shot at an education. They can’t go to Crane in 10, 15, or 20 years after it’s had time to turn around. They have to get their education there right now.

And so, we see a need for action. Drastic action, even. And what’s on the table right now is a drastic decision. But we’re still not sure it’s the right one.

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By CRANE HS from ALUMNI NETWORK
Posted: 12/29/2011 10:58 PM

### Crane Tech High School 2245 West Jackson Alumni / LSC / CTU LOCAL 1 Meeting Tue 1/3/12 530pm PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD AND ATTEND.