king_lab

The Evanston/Skokie District 65 School Board is expected to rectify tonight an error it made on June 17 when it approved the renaming of the district’s two magnet schools.

A renaming committee had recommended giving the Martin Luther King, Jr. Laboratory School, more popularly known as King Lab, a new name: Martin Luther King, Jr. Literary and Fine Arts School.

It came out in the minutes, however, that the board had officially renamed it Martin Luther King Literary and Fine Arts School, which would effectively name it after the noted civil rights leader’s father.

So tonight, one of the items on the Consent Agenda, which contains the non-controversial items that are slated for approval without discussion, there is a motion to give it the name the committee had recommended: Martin Luther King, Jr., Literary and Fine Arts School.

It remains to be seen whether district administrators, teachers, students, alumni and…yes, we’ll say it, the press…will continue to refer to the school informally as King Lab.

Charles Bartling

A resident of Evanston since 1975, Chuck Bartling holds a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University and has extensive experience as a reporter and editor for daily newspapers, radio...

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10 Comments

  1. King Lab sham

    What a joke…How is King Lab any more a "literary and fine arts" school than other schools in D65? I taught there on and off for a couple of years…. in addition to teaching at other D65 schools… and I saw nothing diffferent in the curriculums. There's a sucker born every minute. Call it what it really is: Martin Luther King, Jr. Clinical Day Care Center!

    1. Not wrong

      I've been in schools all over D65 and I assure you that there is nothing special about King "Arts". Least of all the art. They should have kept the "Lab" since they do nothing but use it for piloting new math curricula.

    2. Nicely stated, teach

      If you taught there, than you would be a teacher.  This is sad because you would have been a teacher who, apparently for at least several years, used "curriculums" instead of "curricula."

      Knowledge of plural form and credibility as a teacher (no matter what the content area) are directly correlated.

      King Arts…King Lab…it's a good school no matter what you call it.

      1. Agreed King Lab is a good school

        But both curricula (the more common form) and curriculums are correct.  

      2. Grammar police

        Funny to comment on someone else's grammar … "If you taught there, than you would be a teacher…" If you taught there, then you would be a teacher.

  2. This is a tasteless comment. 

    This is a tasteless comment.  I know many hardworking teachers at King Arts and happy students and families.

     

    1. Nothing against the teachers

      Nothing against the teachers at all. In fact, with three graduates of District 65, I can safely say that I've had to deal with maybe two teachers (and that's a stretch) who were not qualified… I have no issues with the teachers… its the administration… The magnet schools have been struggling to find their identity for years and I understand that they have to promote the "lab school" idea to get parents to buy into the idea of sending their children to a non-attendance area school. I just question if this is truly an "Arts" -centric school. I think when I was there it was pitched as a technology school… which was laughable…

  3. There are more arts at King

    I have a recent King Arts graduate and another child who went to our neighborhood schools, and I can assure you there was definitely a heavier emphasis on the arts at King. Even more would be better, but there was a noticeable difference between King and our neighborhood school.

    1. That is good to hear

      That is good to hear and not just the administration blowing smoke… especialy in an era when the arts are being so drastically cut from education.. thanks for the info….

  4. Magnet schools benefit all

    There are many reasons families may choose a magnet school for one or some of their children.  These reasons can include:  the arts, inclusion, diversity, K – 8 education, start time or proximity.  Our entire community benefits when we have strong magnets and neighborhood schools.  I am grateful that we have a choice in district 65.

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