Performative Theater

Top story across all media:

• Chicago Public Schools sent layoff notices to 1,458 teachers and other staff Friday due to enrollment shifts, school-specific needs and other programmatic decisions, the school district said.

And what does it all mean?

• CPS says most of the laid off staff will likely find positions at other schools within the district.

  Overall, CPS says it plans to spend about the same amount on school-level staff as last year, and these actions do not help the school district close its $734 million budget gap.

So nothing at all.

How about closing a dozen underutilized schools, lay off those people and sell the buildings? You'd close the budget gap overnight.