In an ongoing investigation by Substance News of Chicago Alderman
George Cardenas (12thWard) rushing to push through a zoning change of an
industrial site to charter school, it is has been found that 2245 W. Pershing
Rd is an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Toxics Release
Inventory (TRI) Program site (EPA ID Number 1000900874) . The
EPA designation of TRI identifies facilities that release toxic chemicals to
the air, water, and land in reportable quantities under SARA Title III, Section
313. The source of this database is the U.S. EPA.
TRI -- The physical location where toxic chemicals are
manufactured, processed, or otherwise used. (Certain data in TRI_FACILITY were
submitted on EPA Form R or Form A, Part I, Section 4, 'Facility
Identification'. See specific 'Data Source' for each column.)
http://oaspub.epa.gov/...
http://oaspub.epa.gov/...
“Ald. George Cardenas (12th), whose ward includes the
proposed McKinley Park charter, was hesitant to talk about the controversy for
fear of alienating Emanuel. “I don’t want to have conflict. It doesn’t help
anybody,” he said. “I support the school and I’m going to find out what’s going
on. I will work with the administration to assuage any concerns they would have.”
"Concept Schools NFP", is a charter school operator that is trying to have zoning at 2245 W. Pershing changed so a former industrial building, now a a abandoned vacant warehouse, can become the "Horizon Science Charter School Academy" for the start of the new 2013 -2014 school year. The zoning change will allow a charter school with an enrollment of 750 children: 18 classrooms, 4 science/computer laboratory rooms, a library, a cafeteria (with kitchen).
What is even more disturbing to the fact
the site of a future school is labeled as toxic. Is the fact that there are at
least 3 dozen sites within a one mile radius of the future charter school that
are also label toxic by this environmental assessment. In a zoning hearing held
just a few days earlier the public was reassured by Alderman Cardenas that this
site was safe for children. Both Alderman Cardenas and Salim Ucan, vice
president of Concept Charter Schools that all the proper procedures and studies
were followed to secure this location as a school for over 400 K-8 students by
September 2013.
Not only is there now a clear danger to the
children and staff that will be forced to be work and learn in toxic site but
Alderman Cardenas through his attorney is now refusing to provide the 1000
signatures that he testified to eth Zoning Committee on April 30, 2013 that
were collected in support of the proposed McKinley Park charter school. The Mr.
Ucan stated during the public proceedings that he had more than 1,000
signatures supporting the opening of the school. Yet when Alderman Cardenas’
office was contacted to provide proof of the signatures Jessica L. Cummings,
Esq. Director of Communications & Policy on May 3, 2013 refused to provide
the documents using a legal argument that the documents were not required to be
provided to the public.
Read
entire story here, and toxiology reports of the purposed Gulen operated charter
school that Alderman George Cardenas is trying to push through.
Now
about the Mckinley community that doesn’t want the Gulen Charter school in
their neighborhood, showed up at school meeting
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