Chicago Charter School Educators, Elected Leaders, and Violence Prevention Advocates Unite for Actionable Conversation and Release of INCS’ Latest Issue Brief on Addressing the Impact of Gun Violence on Schools and Communities

The charter community was joined for the issue brief release event by local and national leaders, including U.S. Congresswoman Robin Kelly, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, CPS CEO Pedro Martinez, Dr. Janice Jackson, and Mothers of the Movement – Cleopatra Cowley-Pendleton (Hadiya Pendleton’s mother) and Sybrina Fulton (Trayvon Martin’s mother)

The Illinois Network of Charter Schools (INCS) engaged more than 250 educators, national and local elected officials, Mothers of the Movement, and youth violence prevention advocates in a critical conversation on the impact of gun violence on schools and communities as part of INCS’ latest issue brief release: “How Public Schools Can Combat the Scourge of Gun Violence: Lessons from Chicago Charter Public Schools.” This issue brief features the practices of four charter public school networks that are leveraging their flexibility and autonomy to address the trauma that students carry into school due to gun violence in their neighborhoods and how schools can build student leadership and advocates to prevent violence.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Chicago Public Schools (CPS) CEO Pedro Martinez joined the charter community for the issue brief release event because gun violence is a critical issue facing schools across the city of Chicago. During her remarks, Mayor Lightfoot doubled down on her support of Chicago’s charter public schools. She also emphasized her commitment to all public schools by expanding access to the city’s Safe Passage program so that all students in need will have a safe and community-supported passage way to and from school, no matter their neighborhood or type of public school they attend.

“The charter community is grateful for Mayor Lightfoot’s commitment to charter schools and for her leadership on such a critical issue facing our schools and communities,” said Andrew Broy, President of INCS. “The charter community is committed to supporting Mayor Lightfoot and CPS to expand the Safe Passage program to all communities in need and working with the city and school district to replicate and share best practices from these charter public schools to address the gun violence happening across Chicago.”

Additionally, U.S. Congresswoman Robin Kelly (IL-2) and Mothers of the Movement – Cleopatra Cowley-Pendleton (Hadiya Pendleton’s mother) and Sybrina Fulton (Trayvon Martin’s mother) joined the charter community and led a conversation moderated by Dr. Janice Jackson, CEO of Hope Chicago, on how we can collectively advocate for political and community change.

“The charter community is grateful for Mayor Lightfoot’s commitment to charter schools and for her leadership on such a critical issue facing our schools and communities,” said Andrew Broy, President of INCS. “The charter community is committed to supporting Mayor Lightfoot and CPS to expand the Safe Passage program to all communities in need and working with the city and school district to replicate and share best practices from these charter public schools to address the gun violence happening across Chicago.”

Additionally, U.S. Congresswoman Robin Kelly (IL-2) and Mothers of the Movement – Cleopatra Cowley-Pendleton (Hadiya Pendleton’s mother) and Sybrina Fulton (Trayvon Martin’s mother) joined the charter community and led a conversation moderated by Dr. Janice Jackson, CEO of Hope Chicago, on how we can collectively advocate for political and community change.

In an interview with Chicago Tonight following the event, Cleopatra Cowley-Pendleton said, “We all have to step up with the roles we play as it relates to young people and our responsibility within their lives… What we cannot do is act like the issues that are happening are not an issue for every household,” she said. “It’s not just unique to Black and Brown communities, and if it is displayed in our communities right now, it’s not long before it’s displayed in your community.”

The four charter public schools featured in this issue brief have all pioneered innovative ways of dealing with gun violence. North Lawndale College Prep, Perspectives Charter Schools, Urban Prep Academies, and Noble Network of Charter Schools exemplify the possibilities of charter public school innovation to reduce the impact of gun violence on students. Through INCS’ research, four best practices emerge:

• Empowering Student Activists: North Lawndale College Prep Advocates for Nonviolence
• Prioritizing Social-Emotional Learning: Perspectives Develops 26 Principles of “A Disciplined Life” Curriculum to Support Social Emotional Learning
• Taking a Trauma-Responsive Approach: Urban Prep Creates Safe Spaces for Students and Staff
• Investing in Student Safety: Noble Network Paves a Safe Passage for Students

“As we like to say at INCS, charter innovation does not end in the classroom but rather extends through the relationships and networks we build to strengthen our city,“ said Andrew Broy, President of INCS. “There are many district-run and charter public schools not only in the same neighborhoods, but across the country experiencing the same challenges. It is our hope that some of the lessons we have learned might be replicated and adopted by other schools to support their students and communities too.”

You can read INCS’ latest issue brief here: “How Public Schools Can Combat the Scourge of Gun Violence: Lessons from Chicago Charter Public Schools”.

Student Leaders from Urban Prep and North Lawndale College Prep meet with Cleopatra Cowley-Pendleton, mother of Hadiya Pendleton and co-founder of Hadiya’s Promise, and Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin and co-founder of the Trayvon Martin Foundation

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot shares her support of the important work of the charter public school community and commits to expanding the city’s Safe Passage program to all public schools and neighborhoods in need

Learning from the Mothers of the Movement and Advocating for Political and Community Change 
Pictured from left to right: Dr. Janice Jackson, CEO at Hope Chicago, Congresswoman Robin L. Kelly (IL-02), U.S. House of Representatives, Cleopatra Cowley-Pendleton, mother of Hadiya Pendleton and co-founder of Hadiya’s Promise, and Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin and co-founder of the Trayvon Martin Foundation

Lessons from Chicago Charter Schools on Supporting Students and Advocating for our Communities
Pictured from left to right: Darlene Hill, Executive Vice President of Communications, Rise Strategy Group, Gerald Smith, Restorative Justice Specialist, North Lawndale College Prep, Dennis Lacewell, Chief Academic Officer, Urban Prep Academies, Mike Madden, President, Noble Schools, and Sauda Porter, Vice President, Perspectives Schools

Andrew Broy, President of the Illinois Network of Charter Schools (INCS), releases INCS’ latest issue brief, “How Public Schools Can Combat the Scourge of Gun Violence: Lessons from Chicago Charter Public Schools”