Schools facing 'turnaround' to march in protest on Monday, March 15... March 15 hearings on multi million dollar AUSL 'turnaround' contracts to be run by AUSL and 'New Schools'?
Representatives of four of the five Chicago public schools facing 'turnaround' will march in protest against the plan on Monday, March 15, 2010, beginning at 3:30 p.m. The march will take place starting at Chicago's Millennium Park and ending at the headquarters of the Chicago Board of Education (125 S. Clark St.) at between 4:30 and 5:00 p.m. At that time, the Chicago school board is to begin hearings about the proposal to give the multi million dollar 'turnaround' contract to the controversial "Academy for Urban School Leadership" (AUSL).
Planning for continued protests against Chicago's 'turnaround' attacks on public schools have continued with the help of Operation PUSH leader Jonathan Jackson (above, background, in grey suit). At a March 9 meeting, planning began for the protests to take place on March 15. Substance photo by Lara Krejca.Representative from Bradwell, Curtis, and Deneen elementary schools and Phillips High School have been planning the march with the support of Operation PUSH national outreach coordinator Jonathan Jackson.
On February 24, 2010, the Chicago Board of Education voted unanimously and without debate to add five more schools to its 'turnaround' lists. The schools were Curtis, Bradwell, and Deneen elementary schools and Phillips and Marshall high schools. On the agenda of the February 24 meeting, Chicago Schools Chief Executive Officer Ron Huberman proposed that Bradwell, Curtis, Deneen and Phillips go through an AUSL turnaround, while Marshall High School be subjected to turnaround under the auspices of the Chicago Board of Education itself.
Groups opposing CPS turnaround policies have been contacted and asked to join the March 15 activities. The hearings are scheduled to go on until 9:30 p.m. in the fifth floor Board Chambers at CPS headquarters, 125 S. Clark St.
The unusual schedule of the hearings give each school one hour, beginning at 5:30 p.m., with no breaks between schools. According to the information distributed by CPS, the hearing schedule is as follows:
Bradwell Elementary, 5:30 - 6:30.
Curtis Elementary, 6:30 - 7:30.
Deneen Elementary, 7:30 - 8:30.
Phillips High School, 8:30 - 9:30.
