By the late 1980s, many Chicagoans had lost faith in their city government. They doubted its ability to maintain infrastructure, provide essential services, and ensure equitable access to education and housing.
William Bennett [United States Secretary of Education, 1985-1988] had called Chicago the worst public school system in the nation. Whether that was accurate or not, I don't know. But it wasn't a system that the city could be proud of.