Bears’ founder George Halas. He went to Crane High School, one of Rahm’s closing targets. The Halas family tell The Mayor to keep Crane open as a neighborhood school.
Parents United for Responsible Education reports on their website:
It’s refreshing to hear that at least one powerful Chicago family is willing to come out publicly against Mayor Emanuel’s relentless attack on neighborhood schools.
According to the Chicago Journal, the McCaskey family, owners of the Chicago Bears and heirs of Bears founder George Halas, recently donated a plaque and $20,000 in honor of “Papa Bear” to Crane High School, Halas’ alma mater.
But Crane is in the Mayor’s school closing crosshairs this year, and the McCaskeys aren’t too happy about that.
Patrick McCaskey — Halas’ grandson — wrote this in a letter to J. C. Brizard:
“We lend our support to the principal, Richard Smith, the staff, students and community to keep Crane High School a neighborhood school, just as it was when my grandfather attended Crane. The children of the neighborhood need a neighborhood school to attend that sits in close proximity to where they live. Please let the tradition continue on just as the tradition of the Chicago Bears continues on.”
In sharp contrast to so many of Chicago’s power elite, the McCaskeys understand and honor the important place public schools hold at the heart of the community.
Fred Klonsky 