Parking for Kindergarten

Most nights the parking lot sits empty, teachers, administrators and staff gone hours before. But one night last week the lot was full and we were over $300 closer to full day kindergarten.

CPS budgets for next year allot for only half day kindergarten, two and a half hours, as compared to the almost six hours that my girls now enjoy. And so parents, when threatened with a mini class day, have come together to raise the missing $125,000 needed to provide the necessary classroom time for their incoming kindergartners. There is a direct appeal to parents for a per child contribution, there are in home fund raising events, there will be a rummage sale and there was parking.

The empty parking lot sits just blocks from Wrigley Field. With several home games on the calendar before the July deadline, parents organized to sell parking spaces to wandering fans fool enough to drive to the game. Energetic teachers with hand written signs recruited cars and space by space the lot filled, while the budget gap narrowed.

Assuming similar success for the remaining games the parking effort was expected to bring us over $3,000 dollars closer to the goal. But the gas station across the street also sells space and they didn't like the competition. A phone call to the school district immediately shut down the parking aspirations, for reasons entirely logical and legal I am certain.

The school district, who will not pay for full day kindergarten, is now halting the efforts of the parents to raise funds independently, aided by the gas station across the street. Good schools bring good neighbors and good neighbors support neighborhood businesses. But not this gas station, as if being owned by the Venezuelan government wasn't enough, I'll be driving by Citgo even when the tank is empty.