The name of the 27th child killed was Ulysses Simons. In the inner city schools of Chicago, Ulysses' story along with the deaths of 26 other children is chillingly common. But to those who knew Ulysses he was more than just a number printed in the newspaper. His grandmother, when asked by reporters what characteristics stood out most about her son, responded, “ His smile—one of those smiles that grabs you.�

Over the last 7 years the Chicago Public School system has made great strides in its commitment to education. Sixty-one percent of children in the Chicago Public School system “met or exceeded standards� on their ISAT (Illinois State Achievement Test) tests, a number far greater than the thirty-eight percent in 2001. An even bigger improvement is the graduation rate of high school students from Chicago Public Schools as the graduation rate of students has increased from 47 percent in 2001 to 55 percent last year in 2007.

But as it usually is in inner city schools, all is not well. The number of children who exceeded or met standards on the PSAE (Prairie State Achievement Exam) has actually decreased by 1 percent. The high school dropout rate is still an unacceptable 42 percent with nearly half of all males not making it to graduation, and the dropout rate among African American males is even worse. Approximately 55 percent of all African American males in the Chicago area do not graduate with their High School diploma. But this does not even begin to tell the story of the Chicago Public Schools.

Last week a 14 year old boy was shot and killed when he tried to protect his bike from being stolen. Two weeks ago a 16 year old boy was shot, as he was walking to the grocery store to pick up orange juice for his mom. What most Americans view as a rare occurrence in daily life has become an all too ordinary event for children in Chicago Public Schools. Over the last year, 27 CPS children have been shot and killed. Over the last two years, 60 children have been killed. Sixty public school children have been murdered. Imagine the outcry that would transpire if this were to happen in a Chicago suburb such as Naperville or Aurora, imagine the laws that would be passed, imagine the action that would be taken. But in Chicago, the story is about whether the Children’s Museum will be moved to Grant Park, or whether the Olympics will come to town.

This is simply outrageous. It is not fair when public high schools, such as Hinsdale Central, spend about three to six thousand dollars more per pupil than the public inner city schools of Chicago. Not surprisingly these High Schools that receive more funds per pupil are 80-90 percent white, while the inner city schools of Chicago are 90 percent black or Hispanic. It is not fair that inner city public school children have to deal with the constant threat of gang violence and even death in order to receive an education.

Not only does the unequal conditions of innner city schools hurt minority children in the present, but according to Department of Justice statistics it also greatly hurts their chances at attaining a bright future. According to the ACLU national website of the numerous juvenille arrests that occur each year 45 % of those arrested are African American, even though blacks only make up 16 percent of the youth population. Also, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, an astonishing thirty two percent of the black male population born in 2001 will spend time in prison.

Despite the problems facing the inner city schools of Chicago, there are numerous non-profit organizations that specialize in the development of children in inner city schools. Youth Outreach Services , a social service agency, is intent on helping youths in Chicago find safe homes, “stay in school, avoid substance abuse and gang involvement and make positive choices that strengthen themselves, their family and their community.� At their website, you can sign up to volunteer as a tutor or a mentor.