Daley: `It takes a village to teach a child'

It takes not only a village to raise a child but also to teach children, Mayor Richard M. Daley and educators said Tuesday on the first day of school.

Whether it was his appearance at newly opened Simeon Career Academy, 8147 S. Vincennes Ave., or the new and restructured Daniel Hale Williams Multiplex School, 2710 S. Dearborn, headed by "super principal" Frances Oden, Daley's message was the same--urging youth to stay in school and do their best.

On the first day of school, CPS CEO Arne Duncan said he is still tallying the attendance figures. However, both he, Daley, CPS President Michael Scott, Ald. Dorothy Tillman (3rd), Rep. Monique D. Davis (D-27th), Senator Ken Dunkin (D-5th), CHA CEO Terry Peterson, and educators, are hoping the first day attendance will exceed last year's.

The attendance figures won't be ready until today, according to Duncan. Ringing the bell to bring in the 2003-2004 school year, Daley appeared at the $40 million Simeon school where he told the students: "We hope to have a great year in school and continue the progress we have made by staying focused on our core initiatives such as reading, back-to-basics curriculum, preschool and after-school programs.

"We'll continue working hard day after day to lift every child in every school and give them the best education possible," he said.

"And, as the school year takes off, I want to stress the importance of keeping children involved in positive activities every afternoon after school through KidStart and the many school, library, park and community programs that are offered."

When appearing at the Daniel Hale Williams school, named after the Black physician who invented open heart surgery and was the founder of Provident Hospital, Daley was asked if he supported charging parents criminally. He said that is something that should be looked at.

But, Scott and Duncan said charging parents criminally for their truant children would be a "last resort."

"Do we want to prosecute? Absolutely not. That's not the goal," Duncan said. "But, if at the end of the day parents aren't taking responsibility for their children going to school, we need to do something about that."

To reduce truancy, Duncan said he is matching students on an individual basis with churches and not-for-profit groups "that can support them."

"Our attendance is at an all-time high this past year, but, we want to continue to get better, and we want to hold parents accountable as well."

Oden, who is over the four principals that are running the Daniel Hale Williams School, was principal of Beethoven for nearly 10 years.

Oden, who agreed it takes a village to teach a child, plans to bring the same academic excellence she did at her former school to the Dearborn facility.

Article copyright Sengstacke Enterprises, Inc.