William Rainey Harper High School, Chicago | Fees, Rankings, Address, Admission, Vacancies, Reviews & More

This is possibly the most ghetto run school in the world. The principal treats most of the students so direspectfully. instead of having a proper respectful way of handling a situation she takes it upon herself to try an break the childrens self confidence and self esteem. she’s extremely vengeeful too. last year she waited until the day before graduation to tell my daughter she didn’t have enough credits to graduate, my daughter had her cap and gown, graduation outfit, family excited, and she told her the day before. my child went to summer school, completed it and still a year later has yet to receive her diploma. this year my family had unfortunate circumstances and ended up living in a shelter, i think she wanted my daughter to carry herself and look like she lived in a shelter because she did everything in her power to try an break my daughter. she took her senior luncheon, her prom, then 3 days before, her walking across the stage. I begged this woman to have mercy and allow my daughter to walk being that she’s been thru so much she needed that. although my daughter had everything a senior needs to graduate she said my daughter got in trouble one too many times during the year and would only be given her diploma. this woman is the devil incarnate. she has a very evil side to her and should not be principal of a school. i wish the many parents that have my same complaint would form an complaint petition and get her out of there so that someone who would build these children up would be put in her place. almost everyone who works in that office is ghetto xs 10. my children have never been to an all black school and i hate they had to experience someone in charge and of the same race trying hard to break them. this woman has issues and i pray they investigate and replace her soon.

I graduated from Harper HS in the Spring of 1955. It was a fine school with many outstanding teachers. Sadly, fine schools and some teachers and students can show, or at least allow, racism on the premises. Harper “integrated” during my senior year. I witnessed a few examples of ugly behavior, heard even more. I never met any of the four(?)/five(?) young black women who integrated our school. I thank them now for their courage.
It hurts me to read and see the pain in the Harper community today. I hope the support the school and the community needs is forthcoming soon.

Love working with Harper H.S. There is such a family, supportive vibe there. The building decor full of a mock dorm room, murals, motivation quotes, college bound postings, and more gives it a warm, welcoming feel also. It may be stereotyped as one of the not so good schools and may not be perfect, but the staff and students are great and pull together when needed as well as work hard to ensure their school success.