EDITORIAL

Celebrate Volunteers

National Volunteer Week, observed last week, was a time to celebrate those who give of their individual time and talents for the good of the whole.

Nearly everyone has something to contribute, and Evanston - more than other communities, we believe - has a strong tradition of welcoming volunteers to the meaningful work of bettering this community.

Most people who live here, no matter how busy they are, take the time to share their talents. They can be found mentoring teens; taking a senior citizen shopping; teaching kids to read, paint, act or play a musical instrument; coaching a sports team; being a scout leader; teaching Sunday School; maintaining local gardens; serving in a shelter or soup kitchen; and participating in, attending or coordinating fundraisers to keep these programs alive.

Last week, 13 volunteers from Evanston Township High School, Northwestern University and the Evanston community were honored for their good works in the fourth annual volunteer recognition ceremony. These people and their remarkable accomplishments are illustrative of the community spirit of Evanston. They and the myriad other volunteers in Evanston, through their compassion and perseverance, weave the social and psychological infrastructure that is a safety net for all of us.

We believe it is not too late to say "thank you" to the volunteers of Evanston. Keep up the good work. We need each other. It takes a lot of volunteers to raise up a city.

Evanston's Fun-Filled Weekend

Even if this tough spring continued, no one should stay inside this weekend. Saturday's agenda is full of community activities:

The Farmers' Market opens for the season at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday at the corner of Oak Avenue and University Place.

Shortly afterward, at 9 a.m. the Annual Garden Fair, at Independence Park (Stewart Avenue at Central Street) will offer a profusion of plants and flowers, many of them home grown, to fit the pots and plots of Evanston. When the members of Evanston's six garden clubs are not minding the store, they are minding the community: tucked into spaces that would otherwise be bare or drab - at the lighthouse, for example, and in front of the Civic Center and downtown Evanston - are well-tended plantings, courtesy of Evanston's hard-working garden clubs.

An hour later and a mile or so further south, YEA will blanket the street sides of Dempster and Chicago with the creations of young artists from Evanston's public and private schools: paintings, puppets and plays, to name a few. We are always amazed at the talent and the insight of Evanston youth, grateful to the teachers who foster this creativity and to the area businesses and individuals that support the festival.

Let us hope that these delightful activities are just the beginning of a great summer in Evanston.

Wired

By Charles Wilkinson

I have come to believe that the phrase "wireless world" is an oxymoron. Never have people, at least in our land, been more wired than currently. (Pardon the pun.) I am not talking about switchboards (remember those?) or extension cords, plug-ins or power lines. I am talking about modern technology and the human brain. Let me explain.

The other day I stopped at a Starbucks in Woodfield Mall. It was a day that offered a first feel of spring. We took a table outdoors and while enjoying the sun and a non frou-frou decaf coffee (frou-frou? You know; fancy- schmancy) I looked around. Two women at the next table were traveling the Internet on twin laptops; a teenage girl walked by, laughing into her cell phone; two stores down a businessman took notes while his ear and shoulder hugged a Blackberry; and a conversation two tables over stopped at the insistent ring of an incoming call.

Later that day, I found myself trying to tune out several conversations that had nothing to do with me. At Jewel someone with an ear phone talked his way down the aisles and a woman checking out answered the ringing in her purse. No wonder it sometimes feels like the Tower of Babel has crumbled, multiplying its noises all around.

I am not blameless in contributing to the bedlam. My cell phone and my raised voice when answering it intrude on others as well. There may be no wires in sight but, truth to tell, my world is a network of connections gone wild. Phone booths have become antiques; offices have lost their walls; and even the most private of conversations are often broadcast in public places.

I cannot speak for you, but I am working consciously to stifle the noises around me - especially my own. But cutting wireless wires is no easy task. It requires sensitivity, determination and consistency.

To begin with, I often keep my cell phone on "mute" or "vibrate," knowing messages will be there at my convenience. If I am expecting a call and it arrives at an inconvenient time, I answer by saying, "Let me call you back." I turn it off at gatherings if only because I want to be present to what is happening at the moment. And I am working hard to call at appropriate times and in sensible places.

I spend a lot of time on the Internet, but I try to keep my e-mails brief and on point even while making them feel like letters instead of telegrams or info bytes.

Undoubtedly, the wired world will be getting worse in the years ahead. It faces all of us with a lot to learn about sensitivity to others and caretaking of self. It also raises the question, "Do we use technology or does technology use us?" Something to ponder.

Attention Please

By Peggy Tarr

In recognition of mothers every day

Story 1: It was a bitterly cold and windy day, but the mother just had to get out of the house; she was going stir crazy. She needed some exercise, and although her toddler had a bad cold, she was sure a little fresh air wouldn't hurt it. She bundled up her toddler, carried it outside and placed it in the stroller. The stroller was designed so that the child would face the elements, and the hood of the stroller blocked the view of the child from the person pushing the stroller. As the mother began to walk, she pulled out her cell phone and called her friend. She talked and talked with her friend, oblivious to her toddler's cough, its cries and its abrupt silence.

Story 2: Grandma lifted her grandbaby onto her lap. Grandma was a chunky woman, so she didn't have much lap for her baby to sit on. Her grandbaby faced her and held on tightly to whatever it could grab - grandma's arms or clothing. Grandma started to bounce her bundle of joy up and down in time with a poem she recited. "Ride a horsey to Banbury Crossing to see a fine lady upon a fine horsey. Rings on her fingers and bells on her toes, she'll have music wherever she goes!" The grandchild giggled and squealed with delight. Grandma laughed, too, and she and her grandbaby nuzzled and hugged each other. "Again, grandma. Do it again!" Off they went again and again on a bouncing fine-horsey ride of love until Grandma's tired legs made her say, "Okay, but this will be the last time!"

(The stroller first came into being in 1733.)

Guest Essay By Cari Levin, LCSW, Founding Director of Evanston CASE

School District 65 Failing Children With Complex Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

There are children in Evanston who are suffering. These children are your neighbors. They go to your child's school. They play on your child's soccer or baseball team. They go to your church. You may have noticed them, but probably not, because they look like typical children. These children are living with an "invisible" illness, like bipolar disorder or an autism spectrum disorder.

As parents, we want our children to grow up to be happy, successful and responsible. Our children are our biggest joy and our constant concern. When children suffer with a mental illness their struggle is extraordinarily difficult. There is no cure, and often the medications used to treat their condition have side effects. As their bodies grow, or the course of their illness changes, these medications can stop working and another round of trial and error begins. There is never any certainty of a positive outcome.

Information about the particular illness can be scarce and conflicting. Finding knowledgeable professionals to help parents understand and cope is difficult and costly. These families live in turmoil and worry, often isolated from others as they try to make sense of the impact their child's illness will have on daily life. Families of children with mental illness, like mine, are under enormous pressure and stress on a daily basis. Just getting through daily life is difficult. These are courageous children who face adversity every day.

What happens at school for children with serious emotional problems? These are complex children with very difficult problems. Many have multiple diagnoses. But they look like typical children. At first glance, there is nothing obviously wrong with them. So when they act out impulsively, say inappropriate things, invade another child's personal space, are aggressive toward peers during play, cry or tantrum for no apparent reason, or are non-compliant, it is common for people to assume these things are volitional or caused by poor parenting. Peers don't understand what is wrong and socially ostracize the child because he or she is odd or unpredictable. Children with mental illness can also be targets for scapegoating since it is easy to provoke them. Learning is difficult for these kids because so many other things get in the way. So how do you educate a child like this?

The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) is a Federal law that requires schools to provide children with special needs a "Free Appropriate Public Education" in the "Least Restrictive Environment." This law was put in place to provide protections for vulnerable children who otherwise could not access the same educational opportunities as their non-disabled peers without necessary supports and specialized resources. It is a law that provides certain rights, including the implementation of an "Individualized Education Plan" (IEP), which outlines the child's needs, appropriate goals and the support services he or she requires to be successful at school. An IEP is a legal document. It is a contract between the school district and the family. If done right, an IEP provides guidance for staff and protects the child.

Unfortunately, the law is often not being followed in Evanston. The services currently available for children with complex emotional and behavioral disorders are one-size-fits-some, but not all. In District 65, children who need more intensive support are grouped in "self-contained" classrooms separate from their typically functioning peers. The District does this out of expedience rather than a planned therapeutic benefit. On top of that IEPs are not being implemented, services are not meeting children's needs, the District is out of compliance with IDEA standards and services are being denied due to staff shortages or cost.

The staff members charged with the task of educating these children are often dedicated, caring professionals. But their hands are tied because of lack of support from the School District to help them implement needed services. Parent's rights are not being respected. There is no transparency in the system and parents do not have access to accurate and complete information about the services available in the District. Parents have to fight to get the services their children need. Your tax dollars are being used on litigation rather than providing for these kids.

When my child was failing in school and falling apart emotionally, rather than providing an appropriate program for him, the School District chose to spend $26,500 to fight me legally. The hearing officer found the District was not upholding its legal obligation to educate my child, and District 65 was held accountable. But parents who don't have the resources or don't know their rights do not have the same access to relief. Their children are stuck in the system that is not serving them appropriately. These families are your neighbors.

As a result of the crisis in special education in Evanston a group of concerned parents have formed an advocacy organization called CASE -- Citizens for Appropriate Special Education. Our aim is to provide parents with an organized voice, and to educate the public and School Board about the problems in the system. Visit our website at www.evanstoncase.org. The Special Services Department is getting away with maintaining policies and programs that are failing children because there is no oversight or scrutiny. If the plight of these children concerns you please write to the District 65 School Board members and tell them to hold the administration accountable.

Letters to the Editor

The Skyscraper is coming?

Like Paul Revere, Evanstonians have warned that a skyscraper is coming. While we thought that the greatest danger came from the developers, we recently learned that perhaps our biggest problem is a number of relentless, pro-skyscraper aldermen. At the special Planning and Development Committee meeting on May 7, those residents who have been working to save Evanston and stop the tower were confident that at least the issue of the skyscraper would finally be settled. The developers had stalled a decision for several weeks asking that they be allowed to redo the project. Two aldermen Bernstein and Wynne warned them that they could not just come back with a shorter building and nothing else. However, they came back with the same thing; so at the special meeting, we were confident that the developers' arrogance and stalling tactics would not be rewarded and that this horrendous project would be voted down by the council. Once the pubic testimony was over, Alderwoman Wynne did the right thing and made a motion, quickly seconded by Alderwoman Hansen, that the project be rejected. Immediately, Alderman Moran, a darling of the developers, ranted that the council needed to debate the issue and proceeded to lecture the residents in attendance. As each alderman spoke, however, it became clear that the skyscraper would lose and we all started to breathe a collective sigh of relief -- all the work and time had paid off. But then, Alderman Moran dropped an unexpected bomb. He made a motion, quickly seconded by Alderwoman Rainey, to table Alderwoman Wynne's motion. After some confused discussion, requiring the city's legal advisor to weigh in on council procedure, the decision was made that Alderman Moran's desperate motion had to be voted on first. We now know, after referring to Robert's Rules of Order, that a motion to table is not proper, particularly at a special meeting. Obviously, the pro-skyscraper aldermen, knowing they would lose an honest vote, had planned this cowardly tactic, knowing that the other aldermen would not know Robert's Rules in such detail. In effect, the pro-skyscraper cabal was able to con the other aldermen into accepting the new motion to table Alderwoman Wynne's motion. The vote to table the motion was then quickly taken and the following aldermen -- Moran, Rainey, Wollin, Jean-Baptiste and, oddly enough, Bernstein -- voted to allow the developers some more time and thus to keep the skyscraper alive; so much for public sentiment and parliamentary procedure. Well, Revere, and those who followed him, got rid of the British and gave us the right to vote. We now have to continue to wait. But once the final vote is cast on this skyscraper, we should use that weapon -- our vote -- to kick the rascals out. In the meantime, we need to continue to fight to Stop the Skyscraper!
-Peter Sanchez

Evanston's Positives ‘Balanced' By University's Negatives
EDITOR:

Having lived in several different types of communities, on the east and west coasts as well as in the Midwest, I have come to appreciate so much about Evanston.

The RoundTable newspaper, with its many fine features such as the columns by Peggy Tarr and Charles Wilkinson, is an example of what is good about this place. The April 30 edition was particularly fascinating and even managed to successfully address some issues with Northwestern University, something not easy to do.

Janet Messenger is to be congratulated for her well-stated and well-researched article "Gen. Dawes Meant His House for Historical Society and Public Use."

The letter, "NU Stiffs Evanston Again" by Jane Huth was so succinct and to-the-point that I no longer compose letters in my head trying to say the same thing. She said it all, as far as our City's relationship with an institution that has its priorities muddled.

Life is not just about being legally and economically right; it is about doing the best thing for the people, the planet and the future. It is also about honoring the intentions of the generous Gen. Dawes.

If I were considering making a donation, or any kind of agreement, with Northwestern, I would change my mind after observing how they trashed the plans and intentions of Dawes and the EHS [now the Evanston History Center]. I hope potential donors become aware of how this institution operates before they commit their dollars and their dreams.

I worked in the University's development (fundraising) just long enough to find out how miserly and profit-oriented the administration is. Coming from the development office of a prestigious college in Minnesota, I was shocked at the different tone and vastly different values operating at Northwestern.

I thought I would be glad to live in the college town of Evanston. Now I find that the University is one of the most irritating aspects of our community life due to their repeated ill treatment of our City and its citizens, putting the needs of their endowment fund before any ethics, honor or humanity.

What a slap in the face. Not everything about the school is despicable, but, for me, the negatives of the University presence have come to outweigh the positive and that is sad. I am not a history buff, but I write this letter as a way to stick up for the Evanston History Center and to stand up, as Ms. Huth advises, "to Northwestern's bullying." May we find ways to change this sorry situation around for the best interests of all involved.
--Barbara Terao

Aldermen Represent Constituents on City Matters
Editor:
Re: Human Services Committee Resolution to Oppose War in Iran

I have been a resident of Evanston for 65 years. I have always expected my alderman to exercise his or her best judgment on matters that touch upon the many issues that our fair City faces on a daily basis. In this regard, my alderman speaks for me, and I am well satisfied.

That said, my alderman does not speak for me on matters that are largely political. Streets and sanitation is one thing; foreign policy is quite another.
-- Stuart Opdycke

Down the Rabbit-Hole at 708 Church St.
Editor:

The closer I listen to the logic of the Focus Development team, passionate to build a massive condominium complex at 708 Church St., the more it sounds like Alice-in-Wonderland thinking. Focus Development wants to purchase and renovate the Hahn Building because that "guarantees the preservation of an Evanston historic landmark." It sounds so noble.

But what about their simultaneously kicking out Evanston business landmarks like Williams Shoes, which has been there for 54 years as a family operation? And all the professionals in 708 Church, most of whom have been there for over 10 years, some for close to 30? Either this is blatant insincerity, or it's upside-down thinking, where landmarks are destroyed in order to preserve them. And that's just the beginning.

Since the Focus Team is so focused on "preservation of Evanston historic landmarks," I find it ironic that they're so keen to destroy - or at least begin the destruction of - the historic spirit, character and style of Evanston.

Only in Alice-in-Wonderland thinking can you be sincere to preserve the integrity of a city and seek to destroy it at the same time. And that is no exaggeration. The "historic landmark" of our downtown will never be the same if the City Council sanctions Focus Development's "new and improved," lowered-but-fattened steel and glass globule, squat in the middle of the downtown we not only shop in, but love and appreciate for its architectural charm.

Further, to renovate the Hahn building the Focus Team wants $3 million dollars in TIF assistance from our City government.

What kind of financial strength and solvency does this show on their part?

Why don't they have the necessary funds?

According to a recent Wall Street Journal article (March 22, 2008), developers nationwide are struggling to complete condominium projects because so many units remain unsold; in short, there is a nationwide glut in supply of condo units. "Many developments nationwide are being cancelled," the Journal states.

There is no guarantee that the City Council will demand to see Focus' financial documents - and there is still less guarantee that Focus would oblige them even if they did. Is this a risk we Evanstonians want to take?

How would you feel about a massive 20-story half-building languishing indefinitely in the heart of our downtown because of a lack of funds of the developer? Remember, these are recessionary times -- and timing is everything.

Of course, the executives of Focus confidently assure us that their luxury condominium project will be magically recession-proof. The Wall Street Journal, the facts on the ground, and our uncertain economic times speak otherwise.

For all these reasons and more, I urge you, reader, to contact your alderman to vote "No" on this project.

If you don't know who your alderman is, you can call the Civic Center, or Google "City of Evanston" and follow the prompts to the listing of City Council members. Their e-mail addresses are also provided. An excellent website for facts and dates is www.ecrd.org, Evanston Coalition for Responsible Development.

I earnestly hope you believe your voice makes a difference - because it does; let's not take this sitting down, but standing up, and standing up for what is right in the City we love.
--Michael Zucker

A Referendum for the Tower?
Open letter to aldermen:

Meeting after meeting, numerous citizens of Evanston have gotten up to speak regarding the proposed tower. Meeting after meeting the majority of the citizens have voiced their opposition to it.

The vote on May 7 demonstrated that the majority of you oppose the tower, as well. Then that vote was immediately disregarded, citing a need to look into this even further.

I have not spoken with one citizen of Evanston who thinks that the tower should be built and neither do I. I thought that we lived in a democracy in which the majority rules. Perhaps I have been mistaken.

If you really feel the need to look into this further, how about putting it on the ballot in November? In the name of democracy let the people speak, and listen to what they have to say.
--Joyce Elias

ACC Deserves Resources and Community Support
Open Letter to D65 Board:

We are ACC (African-Centered Curriculum) parents at Oakton Elementary School and are jointly writing this letter to share with you the positive impact the ACC program has had and continues to have on our children. Several of us have shared with you and the Board personal experiences of what this program has meant to us.

Our children, the true test of the success of this program, talk constantly about how much they love school, the teachers and this program. Our children love to read and are more interested in reading now because of the books offered in the ACC program. They use African-American books that our children can relate to and it does not stop during the school term: Over the summer our children receive books in the mail from the ACC program.

This program has been modeled after other successful African-centered schools. The teachers have spent countless hours studying, researching, attending professional development seminars, visiting schools, writing curriculum, and planning events in order for this program to be a success. Research has shown when school is relevant to a child's cultural background that child will be more academically successful. The ACC teachers have put together a program that is motivating, inspiring and innovative. In addition, through the leadership of the ACC teachers, we have built a community of parents, teachers, administrators and community members who have rallied around the program and have witness first-hand its success.

Before the ACC program started there was nothing in the community that provided this type of opportunity for our children. As parents, we commend you for taking the bold step to start such a program. We ask now that you continue the work you have started by taking the program to the next level by expanding it to include grades 4 and 5. It would truly be a shame for the program to end at the third grade. The extra academic support our children have had would be taken away from them at a critical point in their education.

Finally, we believe the ACC program deserves all of the resources available through District 65. We are requesting the retention of Mr. Daniels as principal of Oakton School and Ms. Davis as assistant principal. Mr. Daniels has been involved with the ACC Program from its conception, and to change leadership at this point would be detrimental to the program and the entire school. For a program to be successful, it needs community support.
--ACC (K-3) Parents of Oakton Elementary School (70 signatures submitted)