Che “Rhymefest” Smith (District 10)
Section 1 - Basic Information & General Questions
Candidate's Name Che Rhymefest Smith
District 10
Campaign link http://rhymefestforcps.com/
Are you a current or recent CPS parent, grandparent, or guardian/caregiver? CPS parent
Are you a CPS graduate? Yes
Have you ever served on a Local School Council (LSC)? No
Have you ever served on a Parent Advisory Committee (PAC)? No
Have you ever served on a Bilingual Advisory Committee (BAC)? No
Have you ever served on a Community Action Council (CAC)? No
Have you ever worked in a CPS school? Yes
How long have you lived in the district you are running to represent? 47 years
Describe your CPS experience.
I am a direct product of Chicago Public Schools. Born and raised on Chicago’s southside. I attended Bryn Mawr which has been renamed Bouchet elementary and Southshore highschool which were both my neighborhood schools. I still keep in touch with some of my old teachers who live in the community and have described me as passionate, creative, an eloquent poet, and friendly. Like many young people coming out of CPS today, I had to struggle to find my path. As an article by Pitchfork once said, I “mopped floors, cleaned highways, and punched the mixtape clock for nearly a decade” before finding success as a musician and writer.
My son who is now an adult, also attended CPS neighborhood schools and experienced many of the same challenges I encountered decades earlier. I’ve dedicated my life to working with young people from the community and bestowing many of the professional lessons I’ve learned in the music and film industry. Partnering with organizations such as the Park District, After School Matters and DCASE I’ve been able to train students in subjects that aren’t offered in their school courses.
Why are you running for the Board of Education?
I am running to partner with educators to develop a school system that provides an equitable, world class pre-k through 12th grade system of education for every child, including a school within a safe walking distance of their homes. I am committed to Chicago becoming a Sustainable Community School district.
I am running to make sure that generations of promises to our children and educators are kept. The time for excuses is over. We need - and our kids deserve - a library with a librarian in every school, a nurse in every school, a counselor in every school, and arts education for every student. We need lead pipes and toxins removed. On the Board, I will not settle for anything less.
I am running against the sabotage of Black and Brown lives through entrenched inequity, disinvestment, and a history of offering so-called “school choice” as an alternative to funding public schools in our communities. While I recognize that parents have the right to make the best educational choices for their children, if we had fully-funded, kid-centered, thriving public schools within walking distances of their homes, most parents would be eager to send their child to the school that is rooted in their own community.
I am running to ensure school safety and well-being for every child and family in the 10th District and throughout District 299.
What is the most pressing challenge our district is facing?
I believe the most pressing challenges our District faces is two pronged.
#1. We must raise the average literacy rates from 31% and demand that the state and federal government view this low proficiency in reading, writing and mathematics as a humanitarian crisis. We must ensure the 360,000 children in CPS can operate in a modern economy, kids who can’t read won’t have access to a modern workforce. This jeopardizes the health and outcomes of our future generations and our city and country as a whole.
#2 CPS is facing an eight hundred million dollar deficit created by poor oversight, mismanagement of resources and lack of transparency, collaboration and communication with our communities. I’d like to reengage our parents, teachers and administrators and let their insights help guide how we create goals and implement a new path forward.
Section 2 - Board Responsibilities & Commitments
How will you interact CPS students and families in your district to ensure that the voices of the most impacted are heard and understood?
Transparency continued coalition building is paramount to how we will create goals for healthier schools. I will begin by building stronger relationships with local school councils, parents, teachers and community organizations. This will allow us to identify and meet the neighborhood-specific needs of our SCS schools. We can build collaboration with colleges and universities, as well as with professional development agencies.
As I’ve been listening to the concern of parents in my district, I also believe it’s critical that students with IEPs and 504s receive full support and dedicated minutes, and that each school has a full-time case manager.
What specific actions will you take to address and repair the historical harms within Chicago Public Schools, and how will you ensure that students, parents, and educators are actively engaged in the healing and trust-building process?
As a former CPS student and parent of a child who attended CPS, I am intimately familiar and have endured the systemic harms many families and children continue to face. Everything from filthy vermin infested facilities, unhealthy meals, unsafe environments inside and outside of the schools, staffing cuts and low quality curriculum.
I plan to strengthen and advocate for training and capacity building of our LSC’s, Create strategic partnerships with local businesses to invest in the future of our schools and engage community stakeholders and organizations that’re making strides in our community, such as the Champs mentoring program, After School Matters, The Local Park District, Blacks In Green and Healthy Hood to
What is your understanding of the Board’s relationship with Local School Councils? How will you collaborate with LSCs in your district?
Historically our CPS board hasn’t had more than a formal relationship with neighborhoods and LSC’s. I’ve attended many of my community schools LSC meetings and have witnessed first hand the challenges facing local school councils dealing with low enrollment, insufficient discretionary funds, not enough members to form a quorum and hazardous traffic due to child drop off and pick up.
I am dedicated to creating a committee strictly designed to train and grow capacity of LSC’s in neighborhood schools. This committee can help deliver the data necessary to create goals and strategies by which each schools need can be advocated for in my vote on the board.
List the Board committees you intend to join and describe any new Board committees you will propose.
Finance & Audit Committee
How will you prioritize your time to ensure you give your role on the Board of Education the attention it deserves?
The CPS School Board will be my first priority and I will consider this position as my full time job.
Section 3 - Budget & Facilities
What are your thoughts on the current proposed district budget for SY24-25? As a board member, where would you look to increase funding and where would you make budget cuts?
10.7 billion dollars annually in a school system with 5 percent fewer children since 2021 should be adequate. As a board member I will work to create Strategic partnerships and exclusive endorsement contracts that bring in the revenue necessary to fill our funding gaps.
Funding for CPS is in a particularly precarious situation due to state shortages to Evidence-Based Funding (EBF), the end of pandemic funding, and more. What would you prioritize when facing these overwhelming budget realities?
We will not sacrifice our children’s need for adequate curriculum. It is our responsibility and will be my priority to set realistic goals and balance the budget equitably.
What experience do you have with complicated budgets?
Candidate declined to answer.
What will you do to ensure equitable and transparent funding for neighborhood schools?
I will use GAAP (Generally Accepted Funding Practices) accounting principles, which set the standard accounting rules for preparing, presenting, and reporting financial statements in the U.S. The goal of GAAP is to ensure that a company's financial statements are complete, consistent, and comparable.
Many parents have expressed an urgent need for capital improvements in their schools. What steps will you take to ensure that schools have functioning facilities, particularly bathrooms and water fountains?
My campaign has been endorsed by many of the laborers we want to see repairing our antiquated 80 year old school buildings that still have lead in the water, leaky roofs and inadequate heating and cooling systems. Iron workers 63, Plumbers 130 and MidAmerica Carpenters are all eager to participate in the refurbishment or replacement of capital improvements. I will work with my allies to ensure schools that need immediate repair receive the best service from our most qualified workers.
Bussing challenges have a long and fraught history in CPS. The last few years have been particularly difficult for special education students, as well as those who attend magnet and selective enrollment schools. Given CPS’s recently announced plans for the coming school year, How do you plan to address the ongoing school bussing challenges and ensure that all students have reliable, safe, and equitable transportation to and from school?
The cutting of 5000 general education students from bus service (mostly from underserved Black and Brown communities) is unacceptable.
Many of our diverse learners currently have inefficient bus routes, taking more than an hour for them to get back and forth from school. I support an increase in Yellow School Bus Service with more routes added.
As an elected 10th district Chicago School Board Member, I will champion active recruitment of new drivers with a livable wage.
We must invite the community back to work in their neighborhood schools.
Section 4 - Educational Programs & Academic Success
How do you define a quality education?
A quality education is equitable and allows children enough time on task to unlock their greatest potential in all subjects. Cross Curriculum training has been proven to be an effective method of ensuring a child has a well rounded understanding, achievement and attainment in the state standards.
What is the role of the Board of Education in ensuring quality educational programs for all students regardless of their background, zip code, or school type?
I envision Chicago Public Schools to be the driver, striver, and provider of high-quality public education for every child in every neighborhood, preparing them for success in college, career, business, and civic life. Every school in Chicago should have the highest standards, equivalent to highest achieving neighborhood, selective enrollment, charter, and magnet schools.
What are your views on the roles of neighborhood, selective enrollment, magnet, and charter schools within CPS? Please address each type of school in your answer.
I envision Chicago Public Schools to be the driver, striver, and provider of high-quality public education for every child in every neighborhood, preparing them for success in college, career, business, and civic life. Every school in Chicago should have the highest standards, equivalent to highest achieving neighborhood, selective enrollment, charter, and magnet schools.
How should the Board approach charter oversight and accountability?
The School Corporation should measure every school regardless of its function by merit.
The initial recommendations of the Black Student Success Working Group were shared earlier this summer. Which of those recommendations will be most important to incorporate into the district’s strategic plan and why?
I believe it’s paramount that we create opportunities within schools for flexible programming and course offerings that encourage student voice and student-led learning, inquiry-based learning, social justice-aligned financial literacy, and other experiential learning to support college, career, and civic life.
This is one of the most important aspects of the Black Student Success Plan because it speaks to the lived experiences our our students.
How will you work to ensure special education assessments and placements are more timely and equitable?
We must have a transparent process for referring students to special education services. A process that is a consistent standard across the district. Teachers, administrators, and parents should all understand the steps involved in referring a student for evaluation.
What should the Board board do to guarantee students are receiving all of their required IEP minutes?
We must ensure our school Principals and interventionists are empowered to follow federal guidelines in terms of how IEP programs are adequately funded and implemented.
In 2021, even before the recent influx of asylum seekers, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) put CPS on a corrective action plan because the district was out of compliance with bilingual education requirements. To date, CPS still fails to staff bilingual programs and certified bilingual teachers at all schools that need them. What steps would you advocate for the district to take to solve this problem?
Although our schools were out of compliance before the recent influx of new arrivals we now have an imperative to train all of our students and teachers beginning at elementary levels in dual language and immersion programs. This is an opportunity to bring CPS up to world class standards and lead the nation as we learn together. This makes Chicago truly a global city.
How would you advocate for the reinstatement of comprehensive art, music, and library programs to our schools?
As multi Grammy and academy award winning artist who is a member of ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) and SAGAFTRA (Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television & Radio Artists)
I will leverage my considerable relationships and resources to create strategic partnerships that inspire our children to the stage, studio, library and communal art spaces.
Section 5 - School Culture
What do you believe is the role of the Board in fostering a culture of belonging for every CPS student?
The Board of Education members should be from and in the districts we serve. A member should be familiar with all of the schools they service in the district and the effect it has on the city.
Every school has a specific need and through collaborative relationships with the LSC’s, Principals and Parents we must work together in improving the educational experience of each child.
What are specific steps you will propose to increase in-school mental health support for our children?
CPS must have in school mental health professionals, nurse practitioners and Doctors in residency that can provide services needed to our most vulnerable populations and help parents and families navigate how to address mental health issues in and outside of the class.
What policies do you propose to help stop bullying in CPS schools?
Prioritize policies to prevent bullying and school violence. Advocate for the expansion of mental health services. Strengthen policies on bullying, with a specific focus on protecting LGBT+ students from verbal, physical, and online harassment. Include appropriate disciplinary actions and restorative practices.
What specific steps will you take to address and reduce racial bias in our schools, both in terms of pedagogy, curriculum, and disciplinary practices?
Through my partnership with Principals, Teachers and administrators I can collect the data necessary to understand which curriculum is culturally relevant and serves the student expansion in understanding the subjects being presented. I will vote for the best educational programs based on data driven results.
Students who report sexual assault and violence in CPS schools often feel that their voices are not heard. What is your approach to ensuring meaningful accountability and what will you do to ensure that this type of violence stops?
Sexual assault and violence should never be tolerated. CPS should be vigilant in background checks, while boosting resources to ensure the safety of students. Establish and publicize clear, zero-tolerance policies regarding sexual assault, harassment, and misconduct within the school environment. Policies should define all forms of sexual violence, including physical assault, verbal harassment, and digital abuse. Accountability through authorities and law enforcement should be included. CPS must have an interventionists and nurses at every school who are trained to understand the symptoms of abuse and intervene when necessary.
How do you plan to ensure that LGBT+ students are protected and supported in CPS, both in anti-discrimination policy and inclusive curricula?
Update CPS anti-discrimination policies to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. Ensure these protections apply to both students and staff. Create clear and confidential mechanisms for students and staff to report discrimination and harassment. Ensure a transparent, timely response protocol is in place to address complaints.
Is there anything you would change about the recently adopted Whole School Safety plan? What can the Board do to ensure its implementation?
The Whole School Safety Plan is a wonderful aspiration that must transform into an activated goal. Board members have to be present in our districts to ensure the community at large understands how to participate in the plan. We must invite community organizations that specialize in holistic health, environmental conservation and safety training to work with our staff and students in furtherance of a world class education system.