>> STUDENTS AT PRIVATE SCHOOLS ACROSS ILLINOIS ARE AT RISK OF LOSING THEIR SCHOLARSHIPS.

THAT IS IF STATE LAWMAKERS DON'T EXTEND THE INVEST IN KIDS ACT, WHICH IS SLATED TO END DECEMBER 31ST.

THE LAW GIVES TAX CREDITS TO RESIDENTS WHO MAKE AUTHORIZE CONTRIBUTIONS TO SCHOLARSHIP GRANTING ORGANIZATIONS.

THOSE CONTRIBUTIONS IN TURN, PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES TO ATTEND QUALIFIED NONPUBLIC SCHOOLS.

JOINING US NOW WITH THEIR THOUGHTS ON WHETHER THE PROGRAM SHOULD BE EXTENDED ARE G 2 BROWN NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF THE JOURNEY FOR JUSTICE ALLIANCE, NOBLE, A PARENT OF A CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT.

SHAKUR RAWLS PRINCIPLE OF RIO HIGH SCHOOL, A PRIVATE ALL-MALE CATHOLIC SCHOOL IN AUBURN GRESHAM AND ZION.

CORNELL STRICKLAND, A SENIOR AT LEO HIGH SCHOOL.

THANKS ALL 4 OF YOU FOR JOINING US.

PRINCIPAL WERE ALSO START WITH YOU.

WHY DO YOU THINK THIS PROGRAM SHOULD BE EXTENDED?

>> WHAT I'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST FOR IS A GROWTH IN THE NUMBER OF SAYS THEY WERE ABLE TO SERVE AT LEON HIGH SCHOOL.

I SEE STUDENTS LIKE ZION IN A NUMBER OF OTHER STUDENTS WHO BENEFIT FROM FROM PROGRAM.

IT'S HELP THEIR FAMILIES OUT FINANCIALLY.

WE'VE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO EXPAND PROGRAMMING INSIDE OF OUR SCHOOLS, EXPAND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, EXPAND AFTER-SCHOOL OFFERINGS.

AND I THINK THAT THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

FIRST, A LOOK AT A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT METHODS THAT WE EDUCATE BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS IN CHICAGO, PARTICULARLY AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, PARTICULARLY BLACK MALES.

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO STUDENTS WHO ARE RECEIVING THE SCHOLARSHIPS IF THE PROGRAM IS THAT EXTENDED?

SO WE HAVE ABOUT 37 STUDENTS WHO ARE RECEIVING A SCHOLARSHIP RIGHT NOW.

AND AND UNFORTUNATELY, THOUGH, 37 STUDENTS WILL BE FORCED THE BURDEN THAT'S READY I SCHOOL.

EXACTLY.

OKAY.

>> YOUR YOUR 4TH YEAR SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT OF THIS PROGRAM, SENIOR.

WHAT IMPACT DOES IT HAVE ON YOUR EDUCATION?

>> IT'S ALLOWED ME TO DO TO A GREAT SCHOOL AND BE ABLE DO THE THINGS THAT I WISH TO ACHIEVE IN LIFE.

AND IT'S ALSO ALLOWED ME TO MAKE FRIENDS AND FRIENDSHIPS MOST LIKELY WOULD HAVE GOTTEN IF I DIDN'T GO TO LEO AND IT'S ALSO LESSEN THE BURDEN THAT MY MOM HAS HAD TO GO THROUGH WITH THE PAYMENT.

STILL REMEMBER THE DAY SHE WAS EXCITED.

SHE WAS LIKE GOT THE SCHOLARSHIP I'M BEYOND THAT.

THEY REALLY KNOW WHAT IT WAS OUTSIDE BECAUSE SHE WAS IT IT.

>> G 2.

YOU'VE BEEN ADVOCATING AGAINST THIS PROGRAM FROM BOTH A PARENT PERSPECTIVE AS WELL AS AN EDUCATION ORGANIZER.

TELL US WHY.

FIRST OF I WANT TO GREAT RESPECT.

WE WORKED TOGETHER BERKEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MANY YEARS AGO.

>> AND I KNOW HE'S AN AMAZING EDUCATE AND HE DOES AMAZING WORK.

SO I WANT TO START THERE.

I THINK THE ISSUE WITH USING PUBLIC FUNDS FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

DISSUADE THE WORK THAT'S HAPPENING IN HIGH SCHOOL.

BUT WHAT IS SPEAKS TO IS A TACTIC EDUCATION THAT DOES NOT ADDRESS THE INEQUITY, THE EXISTING PUBLIC EDUCATION.

THE VOUCHER, THE VOUCHERS AND 2 CREATED BY MILTON FRIEDMAN.

AND WHEN WHEN THEY TOOK OVER CHILE ANY WITH THE CHILLY WITH WHAT THEY CALL, THE CHICAGO BOY SAYS STUDENTS AND THEY CREATED THE WORLD'S FIRST CHARTER SYSTEM WHICH EXIST.

TODAY IS ONE OF THE MOST INEQUITABLE SCHOOL SYSTEMS ON THE PLANET WHERE LOW INCOME STUDENTS GET VOUCHERS TO GO POOR SCHOOLS, MIDDLE-CLASS STUDENTS GET VOUCHERS TO GO TO WHAT CHARTERS AND WEALTHY STUDENTS GET VOUCHERS TO GO TO FABOLOUS SCHOOLS.

I THINK THE AND I THINK THAT THIS PROGRAM CAN BE EXTENDED JUST WITHOUT PUBLIC MONEY.

WELL, IS IT IS IT CONSIDERED PUBLIC MONEY THE WAY THE DONATIONS ARE MADE IF A TAXPAYER DO NEEDS TO ONE OF THE SCHOLARSHIP GRANTING ORGANIZATIONS THEY RECEIVE A TAX BREAK OF 75%.

>> I THINK THE FRAMERS OF BILL AT THE TIME FELT LIKE THAT WAS A WAY TO WORK AROUND USING TAX DOLLARS STILL SEE THIS AS USING TAX TAX DOLLARS.

YES, MAN.

AND BUT I THINK IT'S A BIG ISSUE TO THAT OUTSIDE OF LILLE >> THIS SCHOOL ON THE WEST I USED DO A PROGRAM.

THEY CALL KEY.

WHEN KEY WAS CLOSING HAD 95% BLACK ENROLLMENT.

TODAY.

SCHOOL THAT RUNS AFOUL VOUCHER PROGRAM OUT OF ON HIS 27%.

BLACK AND GOLD.

SO WHAT WE SEE ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS THAT FALCONS AS A TOOL HAVE BEEN USED TO ACTUALLY EXACERBATE INEQUITIES, ITS STEAD OF MAKING SCHOOLS MORE EQUITABLE.

WHAT GIVES YOU A SENSE OF THE SOUL OF THE VOUCHER PROGRAMS WHO FUNDS AND IT'S IT'S FRONT OVERALL FUNDED BY THE KOCH BROTHERS.

THESE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE ALSO FUNDED THE MASK, CHARTERING SCHOOLS, THE SCHOOL CLOSINGS THROUGHOUT UNITED STATES AS WELL AS BETSY DEVICE.

POSSIBLE.

OF FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF EDUCATION UNDER UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMP.

I WANT TO GET YOU HERE BECAUSE YOU'RE A CPS PARENT.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

DO YOU DO YOU THINK THIS TYPE OF SCHOLARSHIP IS BENEFICIAL TO STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES?

I-2 G TO HIS POINT.

YOU KNOW, I JUST HONOR ZION AND >> YOU KNOW, HIS POTENTIAL.

HE'S JUST JUST LOVELY GOING PLACES GOING PLACES RIGHT?

BUT AS 2 SHARED, MY CONCERN IS THE CPS PARENT THAT WE'RE ON THE PRECIPICE AS FAR AS BUDGETS ARE CONCERNED, THAT CPS, THERE'S BUDGET SHORTFALL OF 600 MILLION DOLLARS.

THE VOUCHER PROGRAM IS SIPHONING APPROXIMATELY WHAT WE ANTICIPATE TO BE 75 MILLION DOLLARS TO FURTHER EXACERBATE, YOU KNOW, AN ALREADY DISTRESSED SYSTEM AND ALLOWING THOSE FUNDS BE FUNNELED TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS THAT DON'T HAVE TO ACCOMMODATE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS DO.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO ACCOMMODATE KIDS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.

SO THAT IS A PROBLEM.

AND ALSO IT'S AN ASSAULT ON OUR DEMOCRACY, QUITE FRANKLY, BECAUSE THIS IS A PART OF THE BROADER PLAN OF MISTER VOSS, THE COKES, SO ON AND SO FORTH TO DESTABILIZE AND CITED AS MUCH RESOURCES OUT OF CPS SAYS AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS A WHOLE.

PRINCIPAL ROLES.

WOULD HE SAY TO TO WHAT SOME OF SOME OF WHAT WE JUST HEARD FROM NATION NOBLE?

I THINK THAT THEY MAKE VALID POINT.

AND I THINK THE IDEA OF US TRYING TO USE PROGRAM TO SOLVE IN EQUITIES PROBABLY IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN HERE.

>> THINK THIS IS ONE OPPORTUNITY WHERE YOU CAN SEE YEAH, THERE'S THINGS LIKE ZION ALL OVER HIGH SCHOOL.

WE HAVE 37 TONS ON SCHOLARSHIP AND IT THEY'RE THEY'RE BENEFITING FROM THE PROGRAM.

SO WHAT I WHAT CAN'T BE DENIED IS THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE A SENSE OF BROTHERHOOD SINCE THE SAFETY, A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AT ARE THERE PLACES WHERE THE APPLICATION MAY NOT BE THE SAME?

THAT'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

BUT I THINK LEGISLATION IS ALWAYS THE OUTCOME OF THE INTERNET OUTCOMES IN THE UNINTENDED OUTCOMES.

I THINK THAT WHEN CHICAGO MOVED TO THE SMALL SCHOOLS MODEL IN 2000, ALTHOUGH THE THAT IT THE IDEA OF HAVING SMALL AMOUNT SCHOOLS WAS WAS SMART IDEA.

BUT CLOSING DOZENS OF SCHOOLS IN CHICAGO HAD SOME UNINTENDED OUTCOMES THAT ARE REALLY BAD.

SO I THINK THAT WITH ALL LEGISLATION, WE CAN WORK TO RETOOL IT SO THAT IT'S ACTUALLY HOPING SCHOOLS BUT NOT DISADVANTAGED SCHOOLS, REGULAR PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN CHICAGO.

>> SO OF THE I WANT TO GET TO SOME A LITTLE BIT MORE IN OBVIOUS.

WELCOME BACK TO BOTH OF, YOU KNOW, OF THE STUDENTS WHO IT 2021.

22 SCHOLARSHIPS TO ATTEND PRIVATE SCHOOL ABOUT 57% WERE WHITE.

ALMOST 30% LATINO IN JUST UNDER 18% BLACK.

THAT IS ACCORDING TO OUR COLLEAGUES AT CHALK BEAT CHICAGO.

AND OF COURSE, THESE ARE STATEWIDE NUMBERS.

NOT CHICAGO.

SPECIFIC A SHOCKER.

DO YOU THINK THIS PROGRAM IS MEETING DEMOGRAPHIC GOALS BUT THOSE NUMBERS?

TALK ABOUT STATEWIDE NUMBERS THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED SO THAT PEOPLE CAN ALLOCATE MONEY TO PARTICULAR SCHOOLS.

RIGHT?

AND SO THAT MEANS THAT.

>> THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE SERVING PARTICULAR POPULATIONS, RIGHT?

WE'LL GET WE'LL GET MONEY.

SO IT DOESN'T.

IT WON'T ITS STATEWIDE JUST BECAUSE OF THE DISPARITY RIGHT TO THE DOWNSTATE NUMBERS ARE GOING TO BE LARGE.

YOU HAVE RULES.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE ALSO TAKING TO THE PROGRAM.

BUT I THINK THAT THAT 20% OF THAT, BUT NUMBER THE 17.9% OF THAT NUMBER THAT DO BENEFIT SHOULDN'T BE DAMAGED IN THE PROCESS OF US TRYING TO CREATE A MORE EQUITABLE SYSTEM.

SO I THINK THAT THIS IS OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO AT LEAST RETOOL A PROGRAM THAT'S HELPING AT LEAST 25% OF POPULATION ASIA.

WHAT ARE THE WHAT THOSE NUMBERS TELL YOU ABOUT THE PROGRAM'S IMPACT?

YOU MY UNDERSTANDING IS I WANT TO SEE THE RECEIPTS AS THE CPS PARENT RIGHT?

WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT AND I YOU KNOW, I WAS RAISED BY SHARECROPPER.

OKAY.

MY MOM WITH DUSABLE.

>> I WENT TO CPS ALL THIS IS GOING CPS.

AND I UNDERSTAND THIS REALLY THROUGH MY MOTHER, WHAT GROWING UP IN POVERTY LOOKS LIKE.

BUT WHAT THIS VOUCHER SYSTEM IS DOING IS DEEPENING THE SEGREGATION THAT'S HAPPENING.

I THINK YOU ALLUDED TO THOSE NUMBERS RIGHT?

AND TAKING US BACK IN MY OPINION TO THAT, JIM GROBE, JIM CROW SOUTH, WHO IS BENEFITING FROM THIS?

THERE'S NO ACCOUNTABILITY.

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE NUMBERS.

AND I THINK IN THE 6 YEARS THAT THE VOUCHERS HAVE BEEN AROUND ILLINOIS STATE BOARD THAT'S SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE SOME KIND OF REPORTING.

WHERE IS WHERE IS IT DESIGN?

YOU MENTION THAT THE SCHOLARSHIP HALF MEN A LOT TO YOUR IN PARTICULAR THAT REALLY TOOK OFF A FOR HER OBVIOUSLY.

BUT THE TIME THAT >> THAT YOU RECEIVED THE SCHOLARSHIP, YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT IT WAS COMING IT DID.

BUT TELL US MORE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ABOUT THIS BURDEN THAT RELIEVED FOR HER.

WHAT WAS THE ALTERNATIVE FOR YOU?

IF IF NOT FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP?

SO THIS BURDEN WHEN IT GOT RELEASED, IT HAD HELPED ME GO TO A COLLEGE TOUR OVER THE SUMMER.

>> AND ON A COLLEGE.

SO I ENDED UP SEEING THE BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY AND IT'S I THINK I HAD A WHOLE WEEK IN CALIFORNIA AND I WAS ABLE TO EXPERIENCE MANY DIFFERENT THINGS AND ALSO PICK MY FUTURE COLLEGE OUT FOR MYSELF AND FINALIZE MY DECISION.

SO THIS TOP CREDITS IT.

GETTING RID OF THE BURDEN HAS LIKE REALLY HELPED MY MOM AND HELPED ME CONNECT WITH MORE PEOPLE LIKE HIM BETTER.

MY FUTURE.

JUST THINK THAT THIS THAT THIS IS DON, NOT OTHER KIDS WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE AND LEARN AS MUCH AS I JT, WE'VE GOT A FEW SECONDS LEFT.

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT THIS PROGRAM GIVES PARENTS CHOICES FOR WHERE THEIR STUDENTS CAN GO TO SCHOOL, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO CANNOT A FORD, THE HIGH PRICE OF A PRIVATE SCHOOL.

SOMETIMES SHOULDN'T PARENTS HAVE CHOICE?

>> I THINK THAT WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE AN EQUITABLE SCHOOL SYSTEM, YOU DON'T HAVE CHOICE.

>> BECAUSE THAT MEANS YOU DON'T HAVE THE CHOICE OF A WORLD CLASS NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL WITH THE SAFE WALKING DISTANCE OF YOUR HOME LIKE OTHER FOLKS HAVE IN COMMUNITIES.

AND SO I THINK YOU HAVE THE ILLUSION OF CHOICE.

BUT IF SCHOOL DISTRICT TO AN EQUITY THROWS A GRENADE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL, PARENTS GRANT THAT YOU DIDN'T TAKE THEM WHEREVER IT IS.

YOU KNOW, I AM.

I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH SEVERAL OF THOSE TYPES OF FIGHTS.

WE WE KNOW THAT OUR SCHOOL WAS NOT A FAILING SCHOOL, BUT AS A PUBLIC, WE'VE BEEN FAILED.

SO I THINK THAT THE THE FIGHT FOR THE CITY OF CHICAGO IS TO FINALLY MAKE CHICAGO AND EQUITABLE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

I THINK THAT IS THE WORK.

BUT THAT IS THE WORK.

AND I KNOW YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS.

A GOOD BIT REALLY QUICK ZION.

WE'VE GOT 5