Touching On Safe Passage

Being from southern Illinois, my schooling experience was completely different from that of the city. Not only was I privileged enough to attend a private school, but I was sheltered from that fact that a good education was a gift and not a privilege. Since moving to Chicago, my eyes have been widely opened to the issues that plague the education system in this city. Last semester, I enrolled in a Journalism course called Covering the Campaign, in which we took an extensive look at the mayoral and governal races and the prospective candidates. In both cases, education was among the hottest of topics.

Although the words ‘safe passage’ mean nothing to the children and families that are taken to school everyday in a car or school bus, in Chicago these two words are very important. Because Mayor Emanuel closed nearly 50 Chicago public schools, many children were forced to commute longer distances to get to class, crossing dangerous neighborhoods along the way. In response to this, the Safe Passage system was put into effect, which essentially is an escort for children between neighborhood on the way to school. A September 2014 CBS News article breaks down the main, updated facts about Safe Passage as well as gets a unique perspective from a woman who works for Safe Passage in a South Side neighborhood.

Photo Courtesy of Chicago Public Schools

It not only disappoints me that kids cannot walk to school with their friends and be safe anymore, but I think that Safe Passage speaks volumes as to what growing up in the education system is like for Chicago’s youth.

Photo Credit: Emilio Bermeo

However, amongst the struggle to get to school, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Things are happening in the classroom in Chicago – and I think this is so important to note, which is my hope for this edition of Mosaic.

As far as Safe Passage goes, hopefully one day we won’t need it. If we can focus on some of the amazing things that are happening in some of the schools around the city, maybe the violence can fall to the side and education can flourish.