Crime, Education in Berwyn.

[jqpublic]

JQ?  An ordinance should be put in place that there is no basketball at any residence after 7:00 p.m.  JQ I got the same thing behind me.  In my case, its not thugs but teens that play well after MIDNIGHT !!!!  I haven't called police yet because the weather has not really been where you keep the windows open at night.  But that weather is coming.

I have a friend that advises that people on their block cannot even go into the alley to park their car in the garage (which is what we want, isn't it?) because they drag the basketball apparatus out there.  No one can go down the alley when they are out there, and they stay there for HOURS.

And better yet, when all the buddies come over they park their cars only behind the garages of the seniors who are too scared to call the cops even when they cannot use their own garages.  It's sad.

[hvychev]

Wow Ruff......

I heard that Mr. 499 is selling because he just bought his dream home in Riverside.

Melliman that is EXACTLY what I heard as well.

More to the point, I'm not seeing how a handgun would have been helpful in a carjacking or a garage break-in that happened when the owner's not around.

I knew I should not have brought this up.......Mark I am not saying it would have prevented either instance. I am saying that I feel better knowing that I am able to better protect my family and have the will and training to use my gun if need be. This way I stand a better chance against a criminal who could give two shits about some peoples "guns are evil" beliefs.

[Face Reality]

"Hoodies" (hooded sweatshirts) are not allowed at Heritage.  Starting next school year when Freedom opens, there will be a dress code at Heritage and Freedom consisting of Khaki bottoms and Navy tops.  Not sure about the High School or Elementary schools.

[ruffian]

Excellent, Face Reality re: new dress code.  Morton absolutely needs to be included as well.  NOW, is the time.  Those that don't like it ... can go to another school.  What some feel is a minor point (dress code) is actually MAJOR.  We've got to stop the idea that you are going to school to make a statement of some sort.  NO ... that's NOT why you are there.  You are there so some poor sob teacher can seep some knowledge into your empty head.  Morton must throw down the gauntlet in order for us to attract the type of residents we want ... residents who ARE concerned with the best education their kid can get in today's society.  They have to stop cowtowing to kids and parents.  These are the RULES.  Follow or leave ........ what part of that don't you understand?  If ALL schools in Berwyn unite and effect these rules all at once, no one school will be singled out for criticism ... it will be a united effort.

Everything went down hill when we allowed "goofy" students with their equally "goofy" parents to call the shots.  Any sane parent knows you don't let your kid walk out of the house looking like idiots.

If parents have a problem controlling their kids, then they need to seek help not throw the problem into the lap of the schools and disrupt the learning process for kids that want to learn. 

[pkd50]

Well said, Ruff.    I've been reading how some of us aren't happy with the high school and are considering moving or private school.  I'm wondering how many of us on this site are living in starter homes?  Are we all hoping to hit a windfall and move to greener pastures with a better high school someday?  It seems to me that Berwyn is a jumping off place.

[Ana]

I am not in a starter home.  This is our second and I have invested to much emotion and money in my home to let these thugs win over my neighborhood.  But, I will not send my children to Morton, unless they do something about the quality of education.  Better paid teachers = better teachers = better education for my children.  If this doesn't happen, then I will pay tuition for my children at a high school where they will be challenged scholastically.

[ruffian]

Art, you could have the best teachers in the world.  If the kids own the classroom, that teacher might as well have been a moron idiot for all it would matter.  It shouldn't be a teacher's job to be a psychologist/policeman.  The teacher is there strickly to teach.  This is a society filled with blackboard jungles.  Art, how safe would you feel with a classroom that has a bunch of boy/girl gangbangers in it.  You never know if somehow they managed to get a knife or gun past security.  And if they disrupt the classroom ... what are you going to do?  Teaching is a job nobody wants to do anymore because its like being a prison guard ... not many want to do that either.  Doesn't matter if you paid them a million bucks.  People wiho could be great educators are chosing other professions.  Only what's left is interested in the job.

[Ana]

If we have a society here in Berwyn that cares about education, more of our tax dollars would go to better education, those that can't afford the taxes will move out and hence we will be left with a society of families that value the price of their education.  I think that will take care of the bangers.  It doesn't matter at this point.  By the time my 5th grader is in HS, Morton will not have corrected itself and I will have to send her to a private school.  That is where the equity in my home will go, to pay for a better education for my children.     It's a vicious cycle, isn't it?

[Bear]

There is no choice in public education in Berwyn for intelligent people. Period. This issue has existed for several years, from my point of view going back to  1968 when I went to a seminary in Lemont, and I left there and begged my parents to let me go to Morton with my Buddy's. They said no way and sent me to Benet. I lived in Burr Ridge for several years before moving back to Berwyn, and while we were there I sent my daughter to a parochial school there, even tho they had the best school district in the state Upon returning to Berwyn. I sent my daughter to St. Leonards and Nazareth. When Heritage first opened I happened to pass by there when class was sent home, I was appalled at the
caliber of children and the way they were dressed. No decorum, and no leadership at that facility from the school board or teachers even tho the educators were aware of the social class of kids they were dealing with. For you yup pups who are moving here, public education is not an option will NEVER be an option in Berwyn Up to 30% of students live in Cicero or Chicago and there is no accountability for students living out of district

[Bru67]

Mine's my starter home.  I speculated that Berwyn represented the best bang for the buck at the time, that and I wanted to keep my mortgage at a level comfortably less than I could actually afford so I could buy things like, you know, furniture.  Three years later I have come to love this community, the people I've met here and, of course, my house.  I badly want to stay.  I'm fully with you Art -- there's no way thugs and idiots are going to drive me from my home.  Screw 'em. 

Unfortunately, my wife, who I met after I moved here, doesn't quite feel the love and with our two incomes we could afford to live elsewhere, and really high on the hog if we want to join the lemmings, grab an ARM, and buy the biggest damn McMansion we can outbid some other yuppies on.  Unfortunately, I can't criticize her for sometimes thinking of this as a "jumping off place."  Lovely stories about child molesters lurking in the elementary schools, mothers killing their kids and shoving their broken bodies into garbage bags, drunk macho cops turning our alleys into the OK Corral, and Public Safety Directors who get wasted and kick people into comas sicken even me -- and I've lived in some pretty bad Chicago neighborhoods where all kinds of evil deeds were afoot and things always went bump in the night.  Learning that the Latin Kings' Third Infantry Division HQ was only a few blocks away made her a bit edgy, and, perhaps worst of all, our declining middle and HS school test scores are getting harder for me to just shrug off with kids in the forecast. 

Whether we stay or jump off is going to depend on what we get done here within the next 4-5 years.  I hope we stay because regardless of what I can technically afford, I've got other things to spend money on thanks and I sure as hell don't want to live on Wisteria Lane in Naperville.  For all her present problems, I love the B, and it would be heartbreaking for me to move from her.  Fortunately, I'm very confident that we won't have to.  If I didn't believe that, I'd just get it over with now and go. 

[pkd50]

Bru, I can move also, and listening to you list the evils.....I think I'll be going soon.  I don't have to be concerened about high school yet, so I have some wiggle room.  You said you'd give it 4-5 years.  Is that because of a new adim coming in?  I'll give it 2 maybe 3 if nothing improves and it still being blamed on the old adim.....I'm out of here.  Please don't come back and say the old guys had 20 years or whatever it has been, so it can't be undone overnight.    Agreed, but we should see some progress in a couple of years.

[jqpublic]

For all her present problems, I love the B, and it would be heartbreaking for me to move from her.  Fortunately, I'm very confident that we won't have to.  If I didn't believe that, I'd just get it over with now and go. 

I'm putting a lot of faith in the new administration and the new powers that be in the police department. If we can get the cops to enforce ALL the laws, not just the laws they deem important enough to enforce, Berwyn will be moving in the right direction right off the bat. Those laws are on the books for a reason. The arrogance and do nothing attitude instilled by the last group of bosses needs to do an about face.

[Bru67]

Yes, because of my confidence in the new administration and the BDC.  I think by year two, you will be seeing improvements.  I'll even wager to say faster than that.  If I were to see no improvement in 2 years and the same junk we have seen this past year, yes, you and I will be on the same wagon outta here.  I won't put up with it and my wife sure as hell won't put up with it.  Let me stress I don't think that will happen and I don't think the new administration is going to take a blame game posture, at least I hope not.  Things are happening too quickly in Berwyn in particular and the Chicagoland area generally for us to have that luxury.  We got to get right down to it or we will get left in the dust of other communities which are improving (e.g. Forest Park and Westchester).   

[pkd50]

I'll hang in there, but did you see a post that had the latest rumor?  O'C may be a part time mayor.  That, my friend, won't fly with me.  I voted for a mayor....not a city adm.   I sure hope that's not true.

[jqpublic]

latest rumor

Rumor. End of discussion. There was enough of that going around pre-election.

[Bear]

I dont think some of you understand the governing system. The city of Berwyn has nothing to do with
education save collecting tax dollars for such. The schools are run by school boards, not city government

[Robert Pauly]

Geez - so much to respond to ... so little time.

First, to characterize all Riverside residents as "snobs" is nuts.  Second, anyone who chases a garage thief down the alley (gun or no gun) is nuts.

Third, the problem with our schools (and our gang-related crime) are our demographics, not the schools.  Trade student bodies with a town like Western Springs, and the WS childtren will excell in our schools.  Our students will fail in their supposed "better" schools.  Basically, our schools are filled with students from families who either don't give a damn (yes, I realize that I'm generalizing here), or don't have the wherewithall (both parents working, single parent households, etc.) to provide their children with the medium to excell.

We're in a Catch 22 situation.  Schools won't improve until the demographics improve, and the demographics won't improve until the schools improve.  How to fix?  Throw a ton of money at the problem - become surrogate families to these children - force test scores up, and improve demographics.  It's a bitter pill - one that not many Berwyn familes would swallow (the elderly and new immirgants).

As for moving from Berwyn for a better high school, for me, it's a matter of economics.  It's cheaper to send one child to a private school than it is to move, so my 12 year-old will probably go to Nazareth or Fenwick (if she can get in).  If Morton doesn't improve substantially, it'll be cheaper to move than to send my two youngest children to private schools (9 years from now).  Bottom-line, you only get one chance to educate your children, and I'm not going to take any risks with mine.

[mabeda]

We moved to Berwyn a few years ago because we were looking for a home close to the city.  The Burlington Northern (Metra) was also a selling point.  What sealed the deal for us was the bungalow we ended up buying.... fell head over heals for it!!!  This is our second home, we came from a western suburb and hated it.  We could have afforded to go into any other neighborhood of our choosing... we chose Berwyn... we LOVE it here and have no intention of moving.  Although the  high school situation is concerning us, we will send our kids to private school if need be.  However you couldn't blow my a$$ out of our house... too much sweat equity and not to mention money has been invested.  Not only that, but our neighbors are great and are also adamant about improving their homes and working towards a better Berwyn.

Ruff, we also leave our windows open and are constantly watching our children and neighborhood and we don't hesitate a second to get on the phone with the police if we see something suspicious.  THIS IS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEY WILL NOT WIN!!!

[Ana]

I have three children also.  All of which go to a private school in Riverside.  All three of my children will go to a private hs if Morton does not improve drastically in the very near future.  All of the equity in our home will be used for tuition, and I am hoping that my children will realize this and subsidize our retirement when the time comes  .  It is a catch 22.  By the time, my children are hs age, real estate will be so expensive that we will not be able to afford the same type of home elsewhere.  We've made our decision.  We are staying.  And the bangers and lazy people down the street who can't mow their lawn, they're going.   

[ruffian]

Regarding the City / School Boards control the schools.  You can't have two entities that directly effect each other going in opposite directions and see progress.  I think we can all agree, it's the City's job to move us ahead.  It's the job of the School Boards to make sure they are doing everything possible to provide kids with a good education.  The City and School Boards need to sit down and layout a plan to work in the same direction.

Question.  Do you have to live in the District where your child attends school ?  If it is not a requirement, we need to get it back to where IT IS a requrement.

1) For homes, parents would need to show that at least two current utilities bills are in their name (gas, electric, telephone and paid homeowner's insurance policy (do you realize some people don't have homeowner's insurance?).  A driver's license just doesn't get this job done.  This then also ties in to the overcrowding in Berwyn Homes.  I am a big believer that Bungalows are for ONE family.  It's one thing to have a brother, sister or cousin living with you to help them out.  It's another thing when an entire family, mother, father, and kids are living in the same home.  The thinking then would be, what's the sense of moving in with Sis & Bro when we won't be able to send our kids to school.  You may still have those that will come to raise babies.  This is where we are suppose to be enforcing laws already on the books, but which the City has been reluctant to enfore.  Critics would say, that would empty the schools out.  Yes, to be replaced by kids from more affluent familes that are looking to buy in this hot commodity, Berwyn.

If you rent, bring in your lease, and last payment made to landlord.

Grade School?  At least 4 mandatory sessions with parents - One on One - to recap their kids education performance, where he/she needs to improve, and comments regarding behavior.


3) Dress code

Once people see education is going to be taken SERIOUSLY in this town, you will see things turn around, and turn around quickly.  If it's going to stay on the same track as it is now, you can forget about it.  Administration? we need reform now.  We need you to get up with the schools and let them know changes have to be made.  September 2005 should kick it off.  Let the hammer come down !