Overall, whatever your statistical take, the findings of the survey could not have been clearer.
Just 2 percent—yes, two whole percent—are “very satisfied” with CPS’ performance, with another 25 percent “satisfied.” Participants are peppier about the schools in their particular neighborhood, but nearly 9 in 10 said improving schools generally is either “essential” (55 percent) or very important (33 percent). The only other listed goal that ranked higher as a priority was curbing political corruption, at 91 percent.
Bad as those findings were, one other was worse: With concerns about schools and crime on their minds, barely a third of Chicagoans, 35 percent, say the city is a good place to raise kids. That number came in at just 24 percent among South Siders. Guess what? If there’s no kids, there’s no future, Chicago.