First the good news. Controversial and much reviled umpire, Angel Hernandez, is retiring. Hernandez is known for making some of the worst calls in baseball during his three decades plus career. LASIK, the eye surgery company, threw shade on Hernandez on X. “We tried to give Angel free LASIK, but he missed the call.” According to Sports Illustrated, Hernandez blew 161 calls in 2023 out of ten games (He was out for a while because of a back injury. Hernandez was the MLB lowest ranked umpire per Umpire Auditor.
Now the bad news. Forty-one people were shot, nine murdered over the Memorial Day weekend. One of the murder victims was a five-year-old child. This month, 304 people were shot and 51 killed. Year to date there were 1056 people shot with 186 killed. (Figures per HeyJackass! As of 6/1)
Save-A-Lot (Yellow Banana) received millions in city subsidies to remodel and open its closed stores in Southside neighborhoods described as food deserts. Not one store has been reopened. Where did the money go? Inquiring minds want to know.
Embattled CTA President Dorval Carter showed up to his quarterly City Council meeting loaded for Bear. He was defiant over the 29 Alders, who demanded his ouster in a resolution. Many were supporters of Mayor Brandon Johnson, including Blacks and Hispanics. “As an African American man, this city has a history of attacking and trying to bring down their African American leaders.” He played the only card he had, the Race Card. Many Alders, including some who opposed the resolution, fired back at his inappropriate attitude.
Carter should have been fired during the Lightfoot administration. His incompetence became worse during the current administration. Instead of listing any accomplishments for correcting the problems the CTA is facing, he complained he is being treated unfairly because he is Black. He refuses to be held accountable and responsible for his failures. He just angrily complained he was being treated unfairly. It is time for Johnson to fire Carter.
Did Brandon Johnson lie to Illinois Senate leader, Don Harmon, or was there a “misunderstanding?” When politicians lie it is usually thought to be a misunderstanding. In politics the two words mean the same thing. Johnson sent a letter to Harmon saying that no selective schools would be defunded or considered for closure until the elected school board takes office in 2007. Yet selective schools were reduced while under enrolled schools received more funding and staff. One example is LaSalle Language Academy in Old Town. They are losing several language instructors. Douglas High School in Austin has a total enrollment of 35 students. They are getting nine new staff members, to bring the total staff to 31. Two Southside high-performing schools, Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep and Poe Elementary had their budgets cut.
The long game plan of Johnson and the Chicago Teachers Union is to close or repurpose selective enrollment and high-performing schools. They want all schools to be the same. They are also against school choice. They want students to go to neighborhood schools. Except if you are Mayor Johnson and CTU President, Stacy Davis Gates. They sent their children to schools outside of their neighborhoods. It is the same old privilege game. What’s good for them is not good for the rest of us.
Maybe someone should tell those two that parents get to make choices for their children’s education, not bureaucrats, unions, and politicians. Parents want the best for their children, especially if they are gifted. If Chicago Public Schools and the CTU demand parents only send children to neighborhood schools, the city should pass an ordinance, or the state should pass a law enacting school choice.