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The whole world is watching Whittier, La Casita through La Casita's work, Substance and IndyMedia

John Whitfield - June 25, 2011

Chicago Board of Education President David Vitale, Chicago schools "Chief Executive Officer" Jean-Claude Brizard, and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel, as well the newly appointed Chicago Board of Education, should know by now, that the situation that they must deal with at Whittier Dual Language School on Chicago's Southwest Side is not just a local issue. Substance, and other Independent medias — like Indymedia.org — are national, and internationally read. Even if some of Chicago's corporate media ignores the Whittier struggle (and the broader story about how 16 years of corporate "school reform" left not just one but 160 Chicago public schools without libraries), the story gets out. On June 25, 2011, the Sun-Times ignored the latest from La Casita, but the story got out in a hundred ways.

Parents, teachers, and others discuss the renewal of the occupation of La Casita on the morning of June 24, 2011, before the police took down their cordon around the 1900 block of W. 23rd St. in Chicago and postponed the latest siege of La Casita (the first, as reported at the time at Substance, was on September 17, 2010). Substance photo by Joseph Guzman.IndyMedia has posted "La Casita" in its international news along with stories about Argentina, Puerto Rico, and Ireland to name a few.

So that means that it is being read about in many different continents in dozens of countries. People know that Chicago is the city of the Haymarket martyrs, and their spirit stirs in the hearts of these humble, but valiant Little Village parents in Chicago at Whittier.

HERE IS THE INDY MEDIA STORY AS OF JUNE 25, 2011:

On June 13th, 2011 the parents sent a letter to the new CPS CEO, Mr. J.C. Brizard about the library promised to them, and five points not to be forgotten, recalling that the $364,000 is TIF, Tax Increment Financing money, allotted to Whittier.

1. The Whittier Field house will not be demolished.

2. The Whittier Field house will be leased to the Whittier Parent Committee.

3. The $364,000 will be reallocated for the renovations of the Whittier Field House.

4. $200,000 from State funding will also be use for renovations of the Whittier Field house.

5. Whittier Elementary will get a library (the location was not determined).

In the letter the parents explained that they were never afforded the opportunity to meet with interim CEO Mazany to finalize arrangements promised by CEO Huberman. It is also pointed out that the decision to house the library in the main already overcrowed Whittier school building was made without conferring with the Whittier community, and that they disagree with because of the lack of space. Moreover the Whittier Parent Committee never had an opportunity to showcase their proposal for the location of the library and renovations to the Whittier field house to the CPS CEO and board members. But these plans will only cause more problems to the students, parents and community at Whittier Elementary, because it is displacing children and wasting money on a plan that is not well thought out for the future and causes more problems rather than solutions. The parents then expressed their desire to present their plan to the newly appointed board, requesting that the plan to begin contruction inside the main Whittier building be called off.

Then a call to friends and allies was put out reminding everyone of the 43 days and nights spent in "La Casita" to prevent its demolition, and that it would be ideal,to renovate it, to have a library there, at a much lesser cost, than they had planned to spend on the buildings demolition. It is reiterated that they oppose consturctionof the libarary inside the main Whittier building, not just because no one conferred with them, but that it would displace Special Education students. Here is an immediate action you can do to support the Whittier Parents.

Call CPS CEO Jean-Claude Brizard TODAY at 773-553-1500 and tell him to support the Whittier Parent Committee’s award-winning plans for a library and to halt CPS’s plans to remove the special education space in Whittier School. We need to get as many calls in as possible so CPS knows we are serious and have support. If you have any questions, please call Gema Gaete at 773.431.1431. Currently, parents and allies are occupying La Casita 24/7 to prevent CPS or the Chicago Police from denying the Whittier Parent Committee access to La Casita.

However, Radio Arte reported the following last Wednesday, 6/22/11: Before 10am Wednesday morning construction workers and CPS officials arrived at Whittier Elementary School to begin construction of a new library inside the school, not to renovate the community library, La Casita. As of press time, CPS officials on the ground refused to answer questions from the community. It is understood that CPS is planning to construct a building inside the main building of Whittier Elementary despite an agreement reached late last year to work with legislators to allocate some $364,000 in TIF dollars to renovate what is now known as La Casita Parent Youth Center and lease the space out to the Whittier Parent Committee. La Casita is a field house that sits next to Whittier and is home to a community center used as a library, and a space for ESL and immigration classes among other activities for parents and school kids. $200,000 were allocated from the Board of Education by State Representative Eddie Acevedo (D) bringing the total sum of La Casita renovation money to $564,000 dollars. The Whittier Parent Committee is currently in talks with architects from a non for profit to turn the space into an environmentally friendly green space. Radio Arte furhter reported: Whittier Elementary first received national attention back in the Fall of 2010 as mothers of Pilsen staged a 43 day sit-in inside La Casita to prevent its demolition and promote its renovation. In essence, for the mothers and community activists of Pilsen, the issue was about being involved in the decision making process with CPS regarding the fate of their public spaces. For CPS the issue is about the $712 million deficit yet the Whittier Parent Committee has called out the fact that the $364,000 dollars they had secured for La Casita with the previous administration was originally intended for its demolition. Corresponding via email with HuffPost Chicago, a CPS spokesperson said ‘construction was actually scheduled to begin Monday, the spokesman said, but heavy rains caused a temporary delay. The plan to put the library inside the school’ "has been thoroughly vetted over the past six months, and any additional delay could ultimately cause a delay in construction and availability of the library to the students it is meant to serve." Yet, the community contends that overcrowding is already a problem inside the building and the space inside the school where CPS plans to build the library is already being utilized by special needs students.

So with police on the scene, the parents have re-galvanized to defend "La Casita", as the activists have renewed their sit-in, amidst the Chicago Public Schools going back on their promise to parents.

Dave Vance, a retired steelworker and parent organizer involved with the "Save Thorpe coalition" is afraid that: a showdown is also coming. "J.C. Brizard wants to clean up the mess left by Ron Huberman. Many activists feel that after demolition inside Whittier, the field house will be next. CPS officials are not going to permit another 43 day sit-in to cause them trouble. They don’t want to have to listen to parents and community who demand decent school services. "

"J.C. Brizard wants to look tough for his new boss Rahm. It’s not about the children and better school conditions. It’s not about money because remodeling the field house is cheaper than demolition inside on the 2nd floor of an old building. It’s not about the best ADA compliant location for a library, because the field house is easily accessible." "It’s about destroying parent and community voices for bankers and businessmen who want to privatize as many schools as possible. Whittier is next on their list.", Vance warned.

Nonetheless, Substance, The Chicago Teachers Union, and the John Greenleaf Whittier school community say, "The Whole world is Watching."

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