Among the Notables — Runners-up seems so judgy — in our Villagers of the Year coverage is Ed Condon, superintendent of River Forest’s District 90 public elementary schools.
We are admirers of the good work that Condon, his school board and the dedicated band of volunteers and staff he has assembled, are doing on equity in D90.
While much of the attention locally goes to equity work at OPRF High School and in the District 97 Oak Park elementary schools where the racial mixes are greater and where the achievement gap is more pronounced, we are fascinated to watch the much less diverse and much more affluent River Forest schools thoughtfully and aggressively address the issue in their schools.
A few years back when the topic first surfaced, we frankly expected lip service and little more from D90. Instead, acknowledging its somewhat unique situation melding diversity and affluence, Condon and his colleagues have boldly addressed the reality of the gap, the complicated causes — many historic and internal — and have set ambitious goals for themselves.
Good for this school district. Good for River Forest.
