Closed For Good

Letty and Angel live with their four children in Humboldt Park. Their youngest son, Christopher, is “learning to be a regular kindergartener” and receives special education at Lafayette Elementary’s renowned program.

Janiquia is in 4th grade, and doesn’t want to leave Paderewski because it is a “family school.” Her mother fights in vain to get parents involved in a community where the school, against the odds, has united Latinos and African Americans.

Amidst the meetings and marches to stop school closings in what has been described by some as “the civil rights fight of our day,” two families deal with everyday life and the anxieties of knowing how something as simple as where you go to school can change your life.

It has been an intimate journey with these two families, and we have a lot of material– we just need to finish the edit! You can find out more about the project, explore the background, visit the schools, at www.closedforgoodfilm.com.

I believe that Closed for Good can shed light on the complexities of these school closings, and the ways they are affecting wider perceptions around public education. Closed for Good can help spark a critical dialogue on priorities and what we value most in education, putting families’ unique circumstances and needs at the forefront. Through a grassroots campaign of community screenings partnering with Chicago-based organizations, as well as a few national organizations, and through a public television broadcast, our team will engage parents, teachers, and policy makers.

If you too believe that story has value for both those who have never experienced a school closing, as well as those who have, please consider showing your support for the project. Together we can save our children’s schools, preserve their education, and build a greater good.