Civil Disobedience training begins as Chicago teachers and others expect CPS to order closing of schools despite the facts and the growing political calls for a moratorium on the closings
Saturday, March 16, 2013, more than 80 "fighters for our kids" met at Pleasant Gift Missionary Baptist Church to learn how to fight back in a peaceful protest. The event was the first civil disobedience training to prepare people for the fact that despite the evidence CPS will be closing dozens of schools this year.
CTU organizer Brandon Johnson welcomed the audience saying that Chicago Public Schools has been “tone deaf” during the recent closing hearings. Johnson stated that at the hearings there was a diversity of people from all over the city saying “enough is enough.” Yet Barbara Byrd Bennett, the "Chief Executive Officer" of Chicago Public Schools, recently told the media that she had "heard" the people who, she claimed, understood that CPS had to close schools.
The trainer for the group was Lisa Fithian from Austin, Texas, who stated that we needed to “ignite your imagination of what is possible. You have between now and May to create a crisis for the mayor and the city. When we get the people in the street, then people will listen.”
Fithian told us that at one point in her life she tried to change things through legislation, but demonstrating and civil disobedience work better. She has been arrested over twenty times. “Our country was born out of revolution,” she stated. Fithian gave us a review of the demonstrations and strikes that have changed history.
According to Fithian, "Justice for Janitors" are the best teachers. Janitors have been striking for years. Fithian told us that in 1994 the Janitors shut down the Art Institute. “In order to demonstrate and be willing to practice non-violent disobedience, you need a willingness to be transformed. You are fighting for our future. When you meet on March 27, find a place in your heart of love towards other people. If we come in divided, race against race, school against school, then we will lose when the movement is attacked. Remember that the police have children in schools and are concerned about education also, and they are just doing their job.”
She went on explaining how things would be organized:
You will have leaders in different teams. They know the route so follow the directions of your leaders. Everything needs to be coordinated. Do not let anyone get violent because the situation will escalate. Also when you demonstrate, people have already criminalized you. We are black, white or brown and closing down the streets. You can’t touch a policeman because you could be accused of not cooperating with police.
Stephanie Gadlin, Communication Officer for CTU, reminded us to be serious. We are telling a story. Don’t drink coffee and eat food while laughing down the street. Pastor Kristen Austin, pastor of Pleasant Gift Missionary Baptist Church and a parent of a former student at Price Elementary School, prayed thanking God that we have people willing to stand up.
Fithian reminded us that it is not a good idea to get arrested if you have outstanding tickets or warrants or are illegal because they might keep you longer and charge you with other things. The group practiced several strategies, signed up to be arrested and then home chanted, “Ain’t no power like the power of people because the power of the people won’t stop.”
