300 urge more local control of city schools

More than 300 parents, teachers and community members called formore local control of Chicago's schools Tuesday as the late MayorWashington's forum on education reform headed into the neighborhoods.

Testimony from Tuesday evening's meeting at the Hyde Park CareerAcademy, the first of 10 neighborhood forums intended as an outgrowthof Washington's citywide forum held Oct. 11, will be used to fashiona parent-community school reform proposal.

That proposal then will be debated with similarly craftedsuggestions from teachers, the business community and the Board ofEducation.

"The mayor (Washington) was committed to the pubic schools ofChicago," the Rev. …