Letters: As a high school student, I can confirm that school is harder now that it was for my dad

Chicago Tribune

15-05-2025

Regarding the op-ed 'Are the kids all right? They experience school very differently than we did' by Ashley A. Kannan (May 6): As a 15-year-old in my first year of high school, I've been seeking some sort of closure as of late. Closure to help me know that school is different in so many ways now than what my dad talks about.
My father has always worked me hard academically to get the best grades I can and do well in everything I do. Whether a bad test or an altercation at school, I'd come home to my dad criticizing me. He'd talk about how something never happened when he was in school or he'd say, 'When I was in school, I never got less than a B-minus on a test,' which, to this day, is even harder for me to believe.
I try to tell him, 'School is way different now than back then,' or 'School is harder now and more competitive than ever!'
But what do I know? Maybe some of what he says is true. Taking Advanced Placement and honors courses as a freshman has pressured me more than ever before and maybe more than other kids my age. So, when I found this op-ed, it gave me the closure I needed. When I read what one student said — 'It's a lot of pressure to have every class as an A-plus' — I knew this was exactly what I've been wanting to see.
It felt more validating hearing school is different from the author, a teacher, than maybe one of my friends or another student. Due to how competitive school has become in recent years, students face pressure to do well in school, as well as the pressures of social media, bullying and, most importantly, a parent or other adults saying that they did well in school.
I do thank my dad for wanting me to succeed and go to a good college, but it's hard to compare the high school experience he had to mine.
It's time parents, educators and adults in general acknowledge the fact that school is more different now than ever, and people must learn and adapt to the changes kids and teenagers go through.As housing providers, we have serious concerns about Illinois House Bill 3564. This legislation would eliminate move-in fees and cap application and late fees.
Our affordable housing crisis is due to a lack of housing supply, not fee structures. We need more housing units, not more regulations on the units we already have.
Move-in fees cover actual costs. When tenants leave, we pay for cleaning, repairs, paperwork and marketing to find new residents. These expenses don't vanish just because a law says we can't charge for them.
As a recent Tribune editorial points out ('Security deposits for renters are fairer than exploding move-in fees,' May 2), the Residential Tenant and Landlord Ordinance has made it practically impossible to use security deposits in Chicago or Cook County. Without move-in fees or security deposits, we would have to spread these costs to everyone through higher rents. This means long-term, stable residents end up subsidizing the costs of people who are moving, a policy that bizarrely penalizes housing stability.
Here's what the bill ignores: Tenants may prefer move-in fees. Moving costs add up quickly. A move-in fee of a few hundred dollars is far more manageable than security deposits. Tenants deserve this option.
Restricting application fees ignores practical realities. In an era of sophisticated application fraud, thorough background checks aren't optional — they're essential for protecting both property and residents, who deserve safe communities.
The bill's restriction on late fees similarly ignores economic realities. Without reasonable late fees, property owners effectively provide interest-free loans to late-paying tenants. Fair housing means fair rules, in which tenants who work hard, play by the rules and pay on time don't bear the financial burden of those who fail to do so.
Illinois faces real housing challenges that deserve serious, evidence-based solutions, not quick fixes that backfire. We need policies that increase supply, reduce development costs and create an attractive environment for investment. What we don't need are well-intentioned but misguided interventions that will reduce housing options and increase costs across the board.
The Illinois legislature should say no to HB3564. Rather than adding more regulations that make it harder to provide housing, let's focus on the real issue — building more housing. If you don't talk to housing providers, you get bad housing policy. We're ready to collaborate on solutions that make housing more affordable without sacrificing quality or safety.
Our tenants deserve nothing less.Mayor Brandon Johnson has really stepped in it now. As leader of one of the largest sanctuary cities in America, he has welcomed all with no questions asked. How ironic!
Johnson refuses to accept the presence of the popular immigrant Christopher Columbus. The man whose voyages led to the introduction of Western European civilization and culture to a new world and who was once considered a genius and a hero is now shunned by the likes of history revisionists. It seems that Johnson is at the front of this cult.
The Italian American Human Relations Foundation of Chicago has never received an explanation as to the basis for Johnson's opposition to the celebration of Columbus Day. His 2021 resolution to change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day, introduced to the Cook County Board when he was a commissioner, failed, possibly due to the fact that he was unaware that the state has designated Indigenous Peoples Day to be celebrated on the last Monday in September.
All three Columbus statues have been removed from public view and discussion in Chicago. A city commission then determined that they were examples and reminders of white supremacy. Not one elected official or member of the media who has spoken out against the Columbus celebration has accepted our invitation to participate in an investigative panel discussion of Columbus and his legacy, including U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth.
Johnson and his Park District are loaning one of the statues to a proposed museum. That's like saying: 'Here's your car back, but keep it in the garage.'
This is not an Italian American problem. This is a world history travesty.
The historical fate of the great navigator is more than sad; it's pathetic.Late tax bills have an effect on everyone, not just those who pay directly. Escrow accounts for each year are generally calculated at the beginning of November. Late bills seriously affect the calculation of mortgage escrow accounts. Late bills can cause them to be over- or under-funded, which can cause a hardship on those who are on a fixed income or earners who have to count every penny in their budgets.
This is not something to take lightly as it causes people to pay more than they should have if they paid directly.I would like to propose that Springfield update our license plates to 'Land of Leo and Lincoln' and that Chicago add another red star to the city flag commemorating the birthplace of the first American pope.