The Chicago Public Schools is installing a Naval Academy in Senn High School. Hundreds of teachers, students, parents, and activists from the neighborhood and beyond spoke out to oppose this military takeover of a wing of our school. Now we continue to fight against the militarization of our schools and for the kind of community high school that will meet our needs.

From the February 2008 Anchors Away

February 13th, 2008

We ♥ Senn High School

We ♥ Senn. And we want to encourage as many students as possible to experience its benefits. To have this happen, Senn must remain a general community high school, open to all, dedicated to having each and every student thrive. To help make sure this happens, come out to the community meeting at the high school on Monday, March 10 to be part of rolling out the Senn Strategic Plan. Spread the word. This plan, with input from over 2,000 people, is a path for further improving Senn H.S.

We would ♥ to have Senn remain a school in which the educators can teach students to be creative and think critically about issues and ideas in their lives and the wider society. The Senn Strategic Plan encourages further development of this. It includes opportunities in fine arts and international studies, college and career options. As vision is translated into reality, it should attract many more students.

We would ♥ Senn H.S. to flourish and expand, and for the Naval Academy to be removed from the school building so there can be space for this expansion to take place. This military academy was put into the Senn building over the objections of students, faculty, parents, and the overwhelming majority of the community, and has squeezed existing programs.

Save Senn in particular objects to this naval military academy being part of the recruitment efforts to get more students into the military to fight the illegal and unjust wars of the U.S. government; the recruitment rate of students who are in such military programs is over 40%. Speaking of the navy– It is now a more and more dangerous branch to serve in: Right now the U.S. government is threatening Iran with the possibility of a military attack, with half of the naval fleet stationed right off the shore of Iran. Navy personnel are being used as ground soldiers in the illegal and unjust U.S. occupation of Iraq.

News and Updates

Leaflet for the June 1 RNA Band Concert

June 2nd, 2007

DO YOU KNOW…..?

We support the students of the Rickover Naval Academy (RNA), and wish for their continued health and safekeeping, and for their education as independent thinkers and future leaders of their society. Because of this, we are extremely concerned about their presence in a military academy.

These students are being deliberately propagandized into recruitment at an early and vulnerable age. You can see this, for example, on the Chicago Public Schools JROTC web site*.”Get ‘em young” works for gang recruitment, it works for advertisers, why should the military be any different? This indoctrination is an extreme offense to the youth of our city. They are being molded to obey without being exposed to the critical thinking skills so touted in the rest of the Chicago high school learning community. What’s the hurry? If this program is so good, why not wait until they can freely choose, at 18 years old? Why this eagerness to train youth for the military at 14, 13, 12? The answer, of course, is that if the military waits until later, it is too late. The 18-year-olds are wiser, more cautious, and can find alternatives. And they see the results of the disastrous war in Iraq. And they do not enlist.

As recruitment has fallen due to the Iraq war, deliberate construction of a military education program in this city has increased accordingly. The militarization of youth in Chicago has taken on epic proportions. Chicago has the largest number of these programs of any city in the country. Note that these programs are not being placed in wealthy suburbs where there are more options available; instead they prey on urban, low-income youth who are most in need of the promised financial incentives and least able to resist them.

RNA students are not the only ones penalized by being at this school - the students at Senn have been penalized, as well. The reduction of Senn High School space; classrooms, labs, and gymnasium, makes all students victims of this extremely ill-conceived plan. That is why we have advocated that RNA leave the Senn H.S. building. 

                                                              ---------------

Fact: 10,600 Chicago students are in some form of military education.

Fact: It is illegal for the Rickover Naval Academy to be trying to recruit its students into active military service. As General Eric K. Shinseki, Chief of Staff, U.S. Army, testified under oath to Congress, in reporting on the JROTC program “…we don’t recruit them [students]; as you know, we’re not permitted to do that…” He said this before the House Armed Services Committee on February 10, 2000.

Fact: Although the military says these programs are not for recruitment, 40% of youth in Navy JROTC programs go on to active military service (See the CPS JROTC web site listed below under *.).

Fact: The flier advertising this concert put out by the Rickover Naval Academy includes the same recruitment motto that is used by the Navy, “ACCELERATE YOUR MIND.”

Fact: Navy JROTC gained an ok for a student “field trip” to the Naval Academy in Annapolis.

Fact: The head of the Navy came to RNA and told the cadets that he hopes they choose the navy as a career.

Does this not involve illegal military recruiting? —————-

Please get involved, Find out more. Contact the SaveSenn.org website. Visit military websites such as the CPS JROTC website *(http://www.chicagojrotc.com/index.jsp?rn=1107458). Check the news. Become knowledgeable and informed. Protect our youth from those who prey on them before they have the judgment and wisdom to think fully for themselves. We thought you should know that in this case, saving Senn may save far more, as well.

        Save Senn Coalition, P.O. Box 60365, Chicago, IL 60626….773.250.3225.

Posted in News and Updates |

Meeting Monday March 26 for Input on Senn H.S.

March 24th, 2007

An opportunity to give input to the situation at Senn H.S. is coming up. And that is the community meeting on March 26 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. to be held at Senn High School. All are welcome and encouraged to attend and raise your voices on the issue of the military academy continuing at Senn over community opposition. This community meeting is to give input to a strategic plan discussion for Senn initiated by the Senn Local School Council. This has been taken up by a broader committee from the Senn area. The future of Senn H.S. is clouded as long as the rogue elephant of the military academy is in the building.

Posted in News and Updates |

Senn Time-Line. What the Board of Education Says. The Facts

February 9th, 2007

Chronology of Events Related to the Opening of the Rickover Naval Academy

As presented by David Pickens, CPS, Deputy Chief of Staff and Michael Scott, President, Chicago Board of Education.

Although Mr. Scott and Mr. Pickens claim that a community process took place, the information below suggests that at almost every occasion, the community spoke in opposition to the naval academy at Senn High School, yet the Board refused to listen to the community.

We have annotated their chronology, an original can be seen by clicking here. Following is a legend for reading this online version of the annotated timeline.
Activities as presented in the CPS Timeline by Mr. Scott and Mr. Pickens
Additional information about the activity but not presented in the CPS Timeline
Important events that Mr. Scott and Mr. Pickens failed to note in the CPS Timeline
Additional activities not described in the CPS Timeline
Activities occuring after Feb. 4, 2006 (the last entry in the CPS Timeline)

TIMELINE OF EVENTS

Chronology of Events Related to the Opening of the Rickover Naval Academy

As presented by David Pickens, CPS, Deputy Chief of Staff and Michael Scott, President, Chicago Board of Education.

Although Mr. Scott and Mr. Pickens claim that a community process took place, the information below suggests that at almost every occasion, the community spoke in opposition to the naval academy at Senn High School, yet the Board refused to listen to the community.

ACTIVITIES DATE
   
CPS Timeline:
  • Informational meeting at Ald. Mary Ann Smith’s Office. Attendees: Block club and local LSC’s leadership as well as community members
Additional information about this activity:
  • No invitation was made to block club membership to attend the September 23 meeting.
  
Thursday, September 23, 2004
   
CPS Timeline:
  • Information session held to inform Senn Staff of the proposal
Additional information about this activity:
  • Every staff member who spoke at the meeting expressed opposition to the naval academy at Senn High School.
  
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
   
CPS Timeline:
  • Community Forum held at Senn
Additional information about this activity:
  • Community requests to ask questions at the Community Forum, but Alderman Smith and CPS officials instead try to tell the community about the naval academy and attempt to show a public relations video about the naval academy.
  • When community indicates it wants to ask questions (and not watch the video), Alderman Smith and CPS officials walk out of meeting.
  • After Alderman Smith and CPS officials walk out, community continues to meet to talk among those who remain about the decision to put naval academy at Senn High School with almost all who spoke expressing strong objection to a naval academy at Senn High School.
  
Tuesday, October 5, 2004
   
CPS Timeline:
  • Student Forum held at Senn
Additional information about this activity:
  • CPS officials brought 50 students from military programs to explain to approximately 50 Senn students about the military option. All Senn students opposed the military academy and many expressed frustration that they were not listened to by the CPS.
  
Thursday, October 14, 2004
   
CPS Timeline:
  • Approximately 8,500 letters and proposal summaries were mailed to parents of 10 area elementary schools (Arai, Stone, Brennemann, Goudy, Hayt, McCutcheon, Peirce, Stewart, Swift and Trumball), parents of Senn and Senn Achievement Academy students, and Senn and Senn Achievement Academy staff.
Additional information about this activity:
  • These 8,500 letters were a unilateral act by the CPS to market the naval academy with no opportunity for equal time by Senn High School or the community to express why the naval academy was bad for Senn High School and Chicago.
  
Friday, October 15, 2004
   
CPS Timeline:
  • Presentation to the Edgewater Community Council
Additional information about this activity:
  • Edgewater Community Council December 2004 “ECC Update” mailed to all members includes a story on Senn High School Naval Academy which states: “At a November 16 meeting, the Edgewater Community Council (ECC) board of directors, disapproved a Chicago Public Schools (CPS) proposal to install a naval academy at Nicholas Senn High School, 5900 N. Glenwood, effective September 2005″ (see November update for full particulars). Vote was 10 against, 3 in favor and 6 abstentions.
  • Since 16 board members were unable to attend ECC’s monthly meeting, those present approved a motion with one nay to poll the entire board by email on the proposed naval academy. Although ECC by-laws do not establish a procedure for such an extraordinary email poll, the subsequent vote was in favor, though many expressed reservations, which were never published. Such an email vote had never occurred before or since. Nonetheless, many in the community who rely upon the ECC Update think that the ECC has opposed the naval academy proposal.
  
Tuesday, October 19, 2004
   
Additional Activity:
  • More than 1,000 Senn students, parents, teachers, and community members gather for a “Hands Around Senn” expressing opposition to the proposed naval academy.
  
October 28, 2004
   
CPS Timeline:
  • Meeting with Organization of the Northeast (ONE)
Additional information about this activity:
  • CPS CEO Arne Duncan and Alderman Mary Ann Smith meet with representatives from ONE. Every person present except Duncan and Smith expresses opposition to the naval academy and requests that CPS not put the naval academy at Senn High School.
  
Thursday, November 4, 2004
   
Additional Activity:
  • Approximately 60 Senn students, teachers, parents and community members march from Senn High School to Alderman Mary Ann Smith’s office to protest the proposed naval academy at Senn High School.
  
November 9, 2004
   
CPS Timeline:
  • Notice for upcoming public hearing mailed
Additional information about this activity:
  • Although there has been much public opposition to the proposed naval academy, CPS CEO Duncan uses notice letter to express support for the naval academy. No offer is made for any organization that opposes the naval academy for equal time to set forth reasons for opposition to the plan.
 Thursday, November 18, 2004
   
CPS Timeline:
  • Public hearing on the proposed opening of Rickover Naval Academy
Additional information about this activity:
  • The November 29, 2004 Hearing Officer’s final summary report indicated that 65 persons testified at the hearing. The final summary report lists 26 in favor, 34 in opposition of the naval academy and 5 with general comments.
  • Upon review of the final summary report and the transcript, the 5 general commentators although commenting on different parts of the proposal, testified either in opposition or asked for a more deliberate community process before the board voted on the naval academy proposal.
  • Of the 26 in favor, moreover, three were employees of the CPS, one was the Alderman, one was a paid staff member (although that paid staff member neglected to indicate that she was on the staff of the Alderman when she testified), one was head of the Sea Cadets and Civil Air Patrol, and one was Area President of the Navy League whose business card identified his location as Hinsdale, Illinois.
  • Thus, of the non-paid speakers from the community, almost two to one opposed the naval academy or requested a more fair and deliberate community process at this hearing.
  
Monday, November 29, 2004
   
Important Event Missing from CPS Timeline:
  • Senn High School’s newly elected Local School Council votes unanimously to oppose a naval academy at Senn High School.
  • For CPS to prepare this timeline without an indication of the LSC’s opinion is a particularly egregious oversight.
  
December 3, 2004
   
We have annotated their chronology, an original can be seen by clicking here. Following is a legend for reading this online version of the annotated timeline.
Activities as presented in the CPS Timeline by Mr. Scott and Mr. Pickens
Additional information about the activity but not presented in the CPS Timeline
Important events that Mr. Scott and Mr. Pickens failed to note in the CPS Timeline
Additional activities not described in the CPS Timeline
Activities occuring after Feb. 4, 2006 (the last entry in the CPS Timeline)

TIMELINE OF EVENTS

WHOSE NAME BELONGS ON SENN FIELD?

Should the field in back of the Senn High School building be named after Mike North, a controversial Chicago sports radio host, known among other things for his history of racist comments about Asians, Latinos, Italians, Jews?

Mary Ann Smith, 48th Ward alderman, proposed naming the field for North, who is currently once again on the “hot seat” for referring to a Korean pitcher for the Cubs as a “Chinaman” and then for a long time refusing to apologize. The alderman has now said, “Had I known about his pattern of behavior, I would have said ‘no’ to the request (from North’s family).”(News-Star 1/3/07)

The alderman’s choice of North was from the start a questionable one for Senn Field — Senn H.S. takes particular pride in its multi-ethnic student body, and in its welcome for newly-arrived immigrants. The RNA student body is also multi-ethnic.

Alderman Smith sought to have the field named after North through the Senn Local School Council (LSC). Due to recent media reminders of North’s recent and past racist remarks, the Senn H.S. LSC will likely revisit this issue tomorrow, Wednesday, January 10th. The meeting will begin at 6:30 in Room 115. Enter through Senn’s parking lot.

Whose name belongs on Senn Field? The voices of those within Senn H.S, students, staff, and parents, remain crucial to this process and decision. Add your voice to this choice.

Posted in News and Updates |

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Information: info@savesenn.org | Sponsored by the Save Senn Coalition
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ACTIVITIES DATE
   
CPS Timeline:
  • Informational meeting at Ald. Mary Ann Smith’s Office. Attendees: Block club and local LSC’s leadership as well as community members
Additional information about this activity:
  • No invitation was made to block club membership to attend the September 23 meeting.
  
Thursday, September 23, 2004
   
CPS Timeline:
  • Information session held to inform Senn Staff of the proposal
Additional information about this activity:
  • Every staff member who spoke at the meeting expressed opposition to the naval academy at Senn High School.
  
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
   
CPS Timeline:
  • Community Forum held at Senn
Additional information about this activity:
  • Community requests to ask questions at the Community Forum, but Alderman Smith and CPS officials instead try to tell the community about the naval academy and attempt to show a public relations video about the naval academy.
  • When community indicates it wants to ask questions (and not watch the video), Alderman Smith and CPS officials walk out of meeting.
  • After Alderman Smith and CPS officials walk out, community continues to meet to talk among those who remain about the decision to put naval academy at Senn High School with almost all who spoke expressing strong objection to a naval academy at Senn High School.
  
Tuesday, October 5, 2004
   
CPS Timeline:
  • Student Forum held at Senn
Additional information about this activity:
  • CPS officials brought 50 students from military programs to explain to approximately 50 Senn students about the military option. All Senn students opposed the military academy and many expressed frustration that they were not listened to by the CPS.
  
Thursday, October 14, 2004
   
CPS Timeline:
  • Approximately 8,500 letters and proposal summaries were mailed to parents of 10 area elementary schools (Arai, Stone, Brennemann, Goudy, Hayt, McCutcheon, Peirce, Stewart, Swift and Trumball), parents of Senn and Senn Achievement Academy students, and Senn and Senn Achievement Academy staff.
Additional information about this activity:
  • These 8,500 letters were a unilateral act by the CPS to market the naval academy with no opportunity for equal time by Senn High School or the community to express why the naval academy was bad for Senn High School and Chicago.
  
Friday, October 15, 2004
   
CPS Timeline:
  • Presentation to the Edgewater Community Council
Additional information about this activity:
  • Edgewater Community Council December 2004 “ECC Update” mailed to all members includes a story on Senn High School Naval Academy which states: “At a November 16 meeting, the Edgewater Community Council (ECC) board of directors, disapproved a Chicago Public Schools (CPS) proposal to install a naval academy at Nicholas Senn High School, 5900 N. Glenwood, effective September 2005″ (see November update for full particulars). Vote was 10 against, 3 in favor and 6 abstentions.
  • Since 16 board members were unable to attend ECC’s monthly meeting, those present approved a motion with one nay to poll the entire board by email on the proposed naval academy. Although ECC by-laws do not establish a procedure for such an extraordinary email poll, the subsequent vote was in favor, though many expressed reservations, which were never published. Such an email vote had never occurred before or since. Nonetheless, many in the community who rely upon the ECC Update think that the ECC has opposed the naval academy proposal.
  
Tuesday, October 19, 2004
   
Additional Activity:
  • More than 1,000 Senn students, parents, teachers, and community members gather for a “Hands Around Senn” expressing opposition to the proposed naval academy.
  
October 28, 2004
   
CPS Timeline:
  • Meeting with Organization of the Northeast (ONE)
Additional information about this activity:
  • CPS CEO Arne Duncan and Alderman Mary Ann Smith meet with representatives from ONE. Every person present except Duncan and Smith expresses opposition to the naval academy and requests that CPS not put the naval academy at Senn High School.
  
Thursday, November 4, 2004
   
Additional Activity:
  • Approximately 60 Senn students, teachers, parents and community members march from Senn High School to Alderman Mary Ann Smith’s office to protest the proposed naval academy at Senn High School.
  
November 9, 2004
   
CPS Timeline:
  • Notice for upcoming public hearing mailed
Additional information about this activity:
  • Although there has been much public opposition to the proposed naval academy, CPS CEO Duncan uses notice letter to express support for the naval academy. No offer is made for any organization that opposes the naval academy for equal time to set forth reasons for opposition to the plan.
 Thursday, November 18, 2004
   
CPS Timeline:
  • Public hearing on the proposed opening of Rickover Naval Academy
Additional information about this activity:
  • The November 29, 2004 Hearing Officer’s final summary report indicated that 65 persons testified at the hearing. The final summary report lists 26 in favor, 34 in opposition of the naval academy and 5 with general comments.
  • Upon review of the final summary report and the transcript, the 5 general commentators although commenting on different parts of the proposal, testified either in opposition or asked for a more deliberate community process before the board voted on the naval academy proposal.
  • Of the 26 in favor, moreover, three were employees of the CPS, one was the Alderman, one was a paid staff member (although that paid staff member neglected to indicate that she was on the staff of the Alderman when she testified), one was head of the Sea Cadets and Civil Air Patrol, and one was Area President of the Navy League whose business card identified his location as Hinsdale, Illinois.
  • Thus, of the non-paid speakers from the community, almost two to one opposed the naval academy or requested a more fair and deliberate community process at this hearing.
  
Monday, November 29, 2004
   
Important Event Missing from CPS Timeline:
  • Senn High School’s newly elected Local School Council votes unanimously to oppose a naval academy at Senn High School.
  • For CPS to prepare this timeline without an indication of the LSC’s opinion is a particularly egregious oversight.
  
December 3, 2004