Chicago City Council Chair: Collette Doyle
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Table of Contents 3. Letter from Chair 4-5. Members of Committee 6. Committee Background 7-13. Topic A: Racial Disparities in Healthcare Access 12-18. Topic B: Violence within Schools
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Letter from Chair: Dear Delegates, Hello and welcome to LYMUN VII! I am honored to be serving as your chair/mayor and presiding officer of the Chicago City Council. I look forward to working with each one of you to run a productive and seamless committee. My name is Collette Doyle and I am currently a senior at Lyons Township. This is my fourth year participating in LYMUN. I have been a chair for the past two years, a member of LTMUN’s Secretariat for the past three years and am currently serving as the Secretary-General of the club. This committee is slightly different from an average general assembly committee. Although it is not a crisis committee, we will be working on solving relevant and current issues in Chicago today. Each one of you will be representing an alderman that holds a current position in the real Chicago City Council. It is important to research the
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viewpoints of your assigned alderman and their respective wards to appropriately resolve the current issues at hand in accordance to how these members would act in reality. In addition to remaining on policy with the alderman you are representing, keep in mind this committee will attempt to run in a similar fashion as the Chicago City Council. As mayor, I will act as the presiding officer and my vice chair and political officer will be acting as the secretary and city clerk. We hope to simulate the real council to further diversify your experience as a delegate in Model UN. Please keep in mind that this conference is a training conference meant to strengthen your abilities as a delegate. Feel free to ask questions about policies or parli- pro throughout committee. In order to ensure success in this committee, remember to speak as often as you can, help write resolutions and be collaborative and cooperative with other delegates. I look forward to working with each of you! If there are any questions please email me at [email protected]. Best of luck! -Collette Doyle Members in Committee: 1. Alderman Daniel La Spata 2. Alderman Brian Hopkins 3. Alderman Pat Dowell 4. Alderman Sophia King 5. Alderman Leslie Hairston 6. Alderman Roderick Sawyer 7. Alderman Gregory Mitchell 8. Alderman Michelle Harris 9. Alderman Anthony Beale 10. Alderman Susan Sadlowski Garza 11. Alderman Patrick Thompson 12. Alderman George A. Cardenas
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13. Alderman Marty Quinn 14. Alderman Ed Burke 15. Alderman Raymond Lopez 16. Alderman Stephanie D. Coleman 17. Alderman David Moore 18. Alderman Derrick Curtis 19. Alderman Matthew O’Shea 20. Alderman Jeanette B. Taylor 21. Alderman Howard Brookins Jr. 22. Alderman Michael D. Rodriguez 23. Alderman Silvana Tabares 24. Alderman Michael Scott Jr. 25. Alderman Byron Sigcho Lopez 26. Alderman Roberto Maldonado 27. Alderman Walter Burnett, Jr. 28. Alderman Jason Ervin 29. Alderman Chris Taliaferro 30. Alderman Ariel E. Reboyras 31. Alderman Felix Cardona, Jr. 32. Alderman Scott Waguespack 33. Alderman Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez 34. Alderman Carrie Austin 35. Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa 36. Alderman Gilbert Villegas 37. Alderman Emma Mitts 38. Alderman Nicholas Sposato 39. Alderman Samantha Nugent
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40. Alderman Andre Vasquez, Jr.
A Brief History of the Chicago City Council: The Chicago City Council is the legislative divide of the Chicago government.
The council is composed of fifty aldermen from each of the fifty wards. The council convenes monthly to discuss social and legislative issues, ordinances and resolutions. The leaders of the council are the presiding officer and the secretary. Currently, these positions are held by Lori Lightfoot, the mayor, and Anna Valencia, the city clerk.
The council was first founded in 1837 upon the creation of six wards, each of which sent two aldermen as representatives to their respective wards. Eventually, the system was amended to fifty wards, with one representative from each district. The districts, or wards, are determined by the federal census, and are adjusted according to it.
However, the council prompted and continues to prompt a stigma regarding scandal and corruption, dating back to cases of bribery in 1869. In the late twentieth century and early
2000’s, nearly fifty aldermen were found guilty of official corruption. These charges dealt with inadequate written records and the acceptance of illegal campaign donations.
Although aldermen are elected on a nonpartisan bias, the council is often judged for its democratic dominant presence. Forty-eight of the current aldermen are democratic
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affiliated, one alderman is republican affiliated and the other is affiliated with an independent party. However, because of the vast amount of wards and continual alterations to ward lines, the council has worked its way to becoming more ethnically and culturally diverse.
Topic A: Racial Disparities in Healthcare Access History: In 1990-1998, the progress on 17 health status indicators for five of the largest racial groups in Chicago was measured by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The results showed that disparities between black and white Chicagoans had increased for 19 of the 22 measured indicators between those years. The measured indicators included
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mortality rates in heart disease, cancer, and accidents, as well as birth-related measures such as infant mortality rates, low-birth weight percentages and access to prenatal care.
It was determined that the magnitude of disparity in many of the aforementioned measures remained high in
1998; for instance, the disparity between black and white Chicagoans regarding contraction of tuberculosis was around 39%, and the disparity The life expectancy rates from 1999-2014 for female breast cancer mortality was by race and sex (Chicago Tribune) approximately 21%.
In 2005, according to the Sinai Urban Health Institutue’s study published in the
American Journal of Public Health, the racial gap worsened even more for eleven of the fifteen similar indicators studied prior. Using data from city communicable disease records and Illinois birth and death records, researchers concluded factors such as disease burden, income, health literacy, and job security played a vital role in the widening gaps.
The percentage gap for female breast cancer mortality equalled around 99%, an almost five fold increase of the statistic drawn in 1990. Another contributing factor to the
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widening gaps included white Chicagoans improving their health status. The 2005 study stated overall, that if health indicators were equalized, 3,200 fewer black people in
Chicago would die a year.
The largest challenge remains bridging the gap between the rather racially segregated communities of Chicago. According to NYU researchers, from 2010-2015,
the life expectancy for the affluent Streeterville
neighborhood on the North Side of Chicago
was around 90 years, yet in Englewood, the
average life expectancy diminished to around
60 years. Since 2010, however, the use of
Community Health Needs Assessment
(CHNA) and community member input has
increased in legislative and executive bodies in
The triennial cycle used by CHNA to Chicago, such as the Chicago City Council. assess community health and implementations of improvement In a cooperation with the University of strategies. (Mayo Clinic) Chicago Medicine and the Chicago City
Council, the South Side Pediatric Asthma Center (SSPCA) was launched in 2017—an example of identifying marginalized children with health concerns, such as asthma, and connecting them with primary care. In conjunction with the University of Chicago
Medicine, the SSPCA works with Chicago hospitals such as La Rabida Children’s
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Hospital, St. Bernard
Hospital and federally qualified health centers such as Friend Health center and
Beloved Community Family
Wellness Center.
Partnerships such as the SSPCA have proven to Corner Children’s Hospital’s cooperation with the South Side Pediatric Asthma Center. be successful in harnessing political power to provide resources from local hospitals to struggling communities. However, many initiatives such as these are short-term in length and funding, and heavily rely upon the allocated personnel and resources of the cooperative organizations for a few months at a time, rather than permanent implementation.
Current Issue:
Given the current pandemic, the chasm between minorities and white Chicagoans regarding access to healthcare is evermore present. Many social determinants of health—
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the conditions in which people live (i.e. housing, transportation and food security)—play a role in the institutionalization of racial disparities.
Racial inequity in regards to COVID-19 deaths in Chicago. (CBS News)
In early April of 2020, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced that early data proved around 70% of COVID-19 deaths in Chicago were comprised of black people—in a city where the black population is around 30% of the total population. Inequalities such as the
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inability to work remotely from home and the likelihood of having pre-existing, chronic health conditions has made COVID-19 far more fatal to black people in Chicago and across the nation. There is less access to tests and medical care, given health insurance inequities, as the whtie population is twice as likely to be insured in comparison to the black population. Furthermore, the larger incarceration rates for black people has affected the current crisis, given the impact COVID-19 has had on the prison system in the U.S..
In response to the alarming toll of COVID-19 on black Chicagoans, Lightfoot and
Governor J.B. Pritzker established the Racial Equity Rapid Response Team led by
Candance Moore. The task force's priority is to collect data that identifies and addresses the inequities for black communities, as well as Latino communities. Additionally, Moore
aims to adopt
processes that set
racial equality as a
priority in recovery
programs, track data
The Racial Equity Response Team partnering with the Food on the spending of Depository to provide food security during COVID-19 pandemic. (Mayor Lori Lightfoot Twitter) relief funds, utilize
relief efforts to
targeted communities and provide transparency and information to impoverished, marginalized communities.
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Despite task forces such as the team established by Lightfoot, the increasing infection rates in the city of Chicago prove to indiscriminately target racial communities the hardest, raising considerable attention to the institutionalized systems at fault.
Questions To Consider:
1. What measures can be taken to diminish the impact of the health indicators used in
statistical analysis of racial health access inequity? What are these health
indicators and do they accurately address why racial inequity exists in healthcare
access?
2. How can cooperation between local community leaders and city leaders such as
the mayor and aldermen of the CCC be enhanced? Is there a value to citizen
involvement in city legislation, if so, how can the CCC create a sustainable
relationship with its constituents?
3. How can the CCC allocate long-term funding to local hospitals and medical
facilities, rather than institute short-term projects? Should local partnerships be
prioritized or should federal programs and institutions be considered more
heavily?
4. How has COVID-19 shed light on racial inequity? How can immediate action be
taken to decrease the virus’ fatal impact on marginalized communities? What
measures can be taken by the CCC to identify said impact and correct it?
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Bibliography:
Axel, Timna. “Racism Is Our Most Chronic Health Condition.” Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights, Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights, 8 Apr. 2020, www.clccrul.org/blog/2020/4/8/racism-is-our-most-chronic- health-condition.
Erica Gunderson | November 16, 2020. “Anti-Racist Health Care: Correcting Structural Racism in Medicine.” WTTW News, news.wttw.com/2020/11/16/anti-racist-health-care-correcting-structural- racism-medicine.
Gooch, Kelly. “Health Disparities among Chicago Hospitals' Most Pressing Public Health Concerns: Hospitals and Health Systems across the U.S. Are Tasked Not Only with Addressing Patients' Medical Issues, but Also the Social and Economic Factors That Affect People's Overall Health.” Becker's Hospital Review, www.beckershospitalreview.com/care-coordination/health- disparities-among-chicago-hospitals-most-pressing-public-health- concerns.html.
Margellos, Helen, et al. “Comparison of Health Status Indicators in Chicago: Are Black-White Disparities Worsening?” American Journal of Public Health, © American Journal of Public Health 2004, Jan. 2004, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1449836/.
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Shelton, Deborah L. “Chicago Has Vast Racial Health Gap, Study Says.” Chicagotribune.com, 24 Aug. 2018, www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm- 2009-12-18-0912170917-story.html.
Topic B: Violence in Schools History: In schools across the United States, and especially in Chicago, many under- performing schools experience high levels of violent crime on school grounds, which can further disadvantage struggling students. Generally speaking, students in large urban districts tend to consistently fall behind suburban peers, given the present racial and socio-eocnomic achievement disparities. Often, factors such as school funding, school sector and resource availability have been used to justify achievement gaps. What has always proven difficult in addressing these gaps, however, is quantifying the impact of school violence on a student’s educational experience.
In an eight year study
(2002-2010) conducted by
the Consortium on Chicago
School Research, crime data
from the Chicago Police
Department (CPD) and
administration records from
the Chicago Public School
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system (CPS) were used to identify violent crime rates and their correlation with academic achievement. The study found that during the first seven months of the 2009-
2010 school year, ⅔ the 100 high schools in Chicago called the police to intervene in at least one violent incident on school grounds, with ¼ of schools calling over 17 times during this interval. 5% of schools reported at least 51 crimes in one year, indicating that police involvement in violent related conflicts on school grounds averaged around twice a week.
Percentage of students in physical fights from Some of these statistics can be 1993-2005. (EdW) attributed to the overall climate in
CPS. With consistent and visible police presence at schools, discipline and behavior— rather than instruction and learning—have prevailed as the salient values of education; students Student-led protest on police presence in CPS. (Chicago Sun Times) in turn prioritize their physical safety over educational development.
By 2007, 40% of public schools had permanent police stationed in them in comparison to the 1% stationed in 1975. Police
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presence in schools has consistently been on an upward projection since the early 2000’s.
In 2006, CPS reported employing 585 part-time off-duty police officers to enhance safety and security. The Illinois Board of Education had provided a $4 million budget for the
Students First Safe Passage Pilot Program by 2008, promoting a CPS and CPD cooperation. In 2008, CPS and CPD extended their cooperation with the
Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA)—installing 105 surveillance cameras in schools and instituting the assignment of full time officers in a variety of schools. The IGA was further supported by the U.S. The Department of Justice which provided $223,275 in
federal funding. These
drastic measures in the
early 2000’s set
precedent for much of
the preceding decade,
shedding light on the
impact of police Safe Passage program instituted in CPS districts across the city. (Chicago Sun Times) presence in schools in relations to students’ achievement and adolescent behavior.
Research has shown many communities of color and their youth distrust the police given the CPD’s history of racist-related scandals. With 40% of CPS made up of black students and 45% made up of Latino students in 2009, the overwhelming demographic
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has primarily been one that has been historically marginalized and disproportionately incarcerated, and with daily interaction with police officers in schools, this institutional racism has been further extended.
Current Issue: With Lori Lightfoot’s election as mayor in April of 2019, a top priority was reinventing Chicago’s approach to combating violence, specifically in schools. Lightfoot has seen promising success in enrichment programs offering services and attention to marginalized communities.
With CPS’s CEO Janic Jackson, the program Choose to Change (C2C) was initiated in winter of 2019 to provide mentoring, therapy, and enrichment activities to students at higher risk of gun violence. With funding from foundations, the CCC and private organizations, programs like C2C have the ability to provide the aforementioned services to over 2,000 students in the next few years. Lightfoot identified 15 priority communities to receive resources from C2C. The University of Chicago Crime and
Education Labs reported that the program has helped reduce youth violent-crime arrests,
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increased overall youth attendance for the school year by seven days and is responsible for 32% fewer violence related issues in schools.
However, since early 2020, the impact of COVID-19 on CPS has drastically affected the balance between violence and student achievement. The overall fall
attendance rate for CPS
dropped by 5% for black
students. In total, the rate of
attendance dropped around
3%. By consequence,
Choose to Change program event. (Children’s Home & Aid) performance percentages have also dropped. For instance, for high school students, around
24% of grades in math were below C average and around 22% of grades in reading were as well. In relation to last year, more students have been assigned F’s and grades below average.
In regards to violence, by early December of 2020, Chicago’s homicidal reports had increased by 700, a drastic change in comparison to the previous year. With students
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in a remote environment, less educational and enriching supports and services can be provided to students. And with COVID-19 disproportionately affecting marginalized communities, students are dealing with infections in their homes, food scarcities and limited technological resources. While violence on physical grounds is not an issue, students abandoning academics and turning to violence is an ever growing concern for the 2020 school year.
Questions To Consider: Chicago violence surge in 2020. (Chicago Sun Times) 1. What defines school
violence? Does it address physical, emotional and sexual conflicts? How can the
CCC redefine and emphasize the spectrum of violence to protect against all forms
of violence in schools?
2. How necessary is police presence in CPS? How does it detract from students’
learning experiences? How important is ensuring the safety of students over the
ensuring of comfortability in a learning environment?
3. What measures can be taken to narrow funding gaps between suburban and urban
schools to promote better and more consistent materials, well-trained staff and
enriching courses and after school activities?
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4. What racial and socioeconomic barriers affect violent behaviors in students? What
programs or initiatives can be put in place to bridge these gaps and emphasize the
value of education over violence?
5. How can CPS reduce the influence of gangs on student safety, attendance and
instruction? What measures can the CCC take to dissuade students from gang
involvement?
6. How will COVID-19 impact student achievement? How can the CCC reduce the
likelihood of students resorting to violence during this time period?
Bibliography:
Burdick-Will, J. (2013, October). School Violent Crime and Academic Achievement in Chicago. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3831577/
Dan Hinkel, M. (2020, October 12). Mayor Lori Lightfoot vowed to reimagine violence response and end sole reliance on police, but outreach groups at heart of plan still struggle for funding. Retrieved from https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-chicago-violence-groups- funding-20201012-tzx4rblrsbeczfqe3b7vc7i7em-story.html
Eduwonkette. (2008, May 09). A Closer Look at Violence in Chicago (Opinion). Retrieved from https://www.edweek.org/leadership/opinion-a-closer-look-at- violence-in-chicago/2008/04?qs=unsafe
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Hartz, T. (2018, January 21). Safe Passage program expands to 14 more schools. Retrieved from https://chicago.suntimes.com/2018/1/21/18340079/safe- passage-program-expands-to-14-more-schools
Mbekeani-Wiley, M. (2017, February). Handcuffs in Hallways: The State of Policing in Chicago Public Schools. Retrieved from https://www.povertylaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/handcuffs-in- hallways-final.pdf
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