Story URL: http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=142935
Story Retrieval Date: 2/9/2010 8:01:50 PM CST
Top Stories
High unemployment numbers bring music to the subway

Mollison school community battles consolidation proposal

Votes follow the money in race for governor

U.S. wholesale inventories unexpectedly drop as sales rise in December

Jewish and Muslim artists grab mic, lead their communities in dialogue
Features
For Chicago’s restaurant workers, stress levels high, pay low

Mayor Daley wants to invite Inspector General into city hiring process, aldermen’s offices

More patent suits succeed generic copies
Chicago Life
Chicago prepares for more snow

Southeast Asian community views census count as key to resources

Gay organizers hope social networking leads to social progress
Video
Local business makes it to the Super Bowl

Englewood cops get friendly with kids

Battle over Bra Baby
Arts
Alzheimer's caregivers are often silent victims

Union of Concerned Scientists: fighting for clean air, energy and more

Common leg ligament injury less likely on natural grass than artificial turf
Business
The bad news continues for Toyota

Midwest has the worst job market in the U.S.

MB Financial is looking to acquire more failed banks in Illinois through the FDIC process this year

Group’s Thursday forum seeks input on school funding gap

by Melissa Tussing
Oct 21, 2009


Related Links

United We Learn homepage

A forum is planned for Thursday night in Wilmette to discuss the role of race in funding and achievement gaps in Illinois school districts.

The forum, sponsored by a group of north suburban residents called United We Learn, will focus on the lawsuit Chicago Urban League v. State of Illinois, which questions the basis for education funding in Illinois.

Cook County Circuit Court has held that the gaps in funding are based on race and exist due to "gaps in achievement between one school and another, and disparities in funding between one school district and another."

A representative from the Chicago Urban League and Lisa Scruggs of Jenner & Block, the lead law firm handling the case, will be speaking about the background, basis and implications of the issue.

The forum will begin at 7 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church, at 1024 Lake Ave. in Wilmette. The event is free and open to the public.

United We Learn formed after the Rev. James Meeks brought busloads of Chicago Public Schools students to Wilmette to enroll them in New Trier High School, one of the wealthiest districts in the state, to point up the spending gap.

The residents said they did not want the issue to fade from attention and have been meeting for more than a year with the goal of securing a higher-quality public school education for all children.