All Chicago kids deserve a quality Arts education.

We protested the closing of Lafayette last May. Photo: Fred Klonsky

They closed Lafayette in August as part of Rahm’s 50-school massacre.

By the way, Lafayette had a wonderful Arts program that served neighborhood kids.

CPS swore that no charter school would replace Lafayette.

However. late last week word leaked that ChiArts, technically a contract school that focuses on the visual and performing arts, would drop their plans to move to an empty building at Malcolm X College and set up shop in the former Lafayette.

ChiArts is not a neighborhood school. It admits students by lottery, and some will tell you, by audition.

There is a letter from a ChiArts parent in Catalyst that suggests the change of plans that will have ChiArts move from Malcolm X to the former Lafayette will short-change students on the Southside.

There is something wrong with closing a neighborhood school that offered neighborhood children an opportunity to experience a quality arts program to create an elite program open to just a few.

There can be no claim on school improvement or reform if a quality Arts program is not available to every Chicago public school student.

CPS lied to the parents of students at Lafayette.

They lied to the parents of students at ChiArts.

Now CPS spokesperson Becky Carroll is telling lies again.