Students to march against closings March 25... Chicago Students Organizing to Save Our Schools (CSOSOS) begins... Citywide preparations for huge downtown really on March 27
A newly formed group of students will be marching from the Chicago Board of Educatoin's headquarters to City Hall on Monday, March 25, two days before the massive downtown rally and march against the closings. The action, which will take place around noon, is one of many building for the March 27 actions to take place downtown in Chicago. Across the city, parents, teachers, students and citizens with no direct connection to the public schools are denouncing Mayor Rahm Emanuel and his appointed school board (and schools "Chief Executive Officer") following the announcement that Chicago will close 54 real public schools and "turnaround" a half dozen others.
Emanuel's smug response to the protests has been adding to the fires of anger against what has been called the largest school closing in American history. Organizers opposing the closings are noting that Emanuel's work is part of a national neoliberal attack by the "one percent" on the public institutions that have long been a mainstay of American democracy.
The student protests are expected to provide additional energy to the movement demanding a moratorium on all closings.
The group issued a on March 21. MEDIA ADVISORY. March 21, 2013. csosos.chicago@gmail.com
Students form a city-wide organization and Demand an End to All School Closings. Student-led march to the Mayor’s office to hand deliver an oversized letter demanding better schools
WHAT: Instead of investing in public schools, Mayor Emanuel and the CPS Board of Education wants to close down more than 50 schools across the city. Students from across the city are coming together to demand an immediate moratorium to stop the fifty school closings in fear of the anticipated increase of violence, instability and class size in their communities. Students are also calling for a reallocation of the Tax Increment Finance (TIF) funds, and an elected school board that will be held accountable to the community and not just the mayor.
On March 25TH, Chicago Students Organizing to Save Our Schools will announce the creation of a city-wide network of students to oppose school closings and will deliver sign an oversized letter to Rahm Emmanuel listing all of the CSOSOS demands. According to Rahm, CPS, and unelected school board members we can’t afford to keep these schools open but we can afford to rob students of their future. An attack against one of our schools is an attack against them all.
WHERE: Press conference will be in Chicago Public School Headquarters 125 S. Clark Street
March will start from CPS Headquarters to City Hall in the lobby of the Mayor’s office
WHEN: Press conference will be on March 25TH 2013, 11:30am-12pm
March will be on March 25TH 2013, 12pm- 12:20pm
WHY: The record number of closings that CPS recommends will have a devastating impact on countless communities. Schools are the anchors of stable and thriving communities, now jeopardized by the district’s irresponsible proposal.
According to Brian Stirgus, a senior in Robeson High School says, “I live in Englewood and the majority of these schools being closed are in my neighborhood. Schools is where everything begins- you take away our schools you take away our future. Our kids will be forced to cross gang lines and the violence in our community will definitely increase. Our lives are on the line and these school closings need to stop! Elementary school students are also mobilizing to stop the closings.
“People always tell me ‘think before you act,’ but CPS is doing school actions before they stop to think of the 10 year plan they are supposed to have. They need to stop changing everything up all the time and look at our visions for the schools. We need smaller classes to get more attention. We need rooms for computer labs and peace rooms. my sister needs pre-k. We can't have that if you squish together all these schools. But we have the same right to a decent education as the rich kids," says Isis Hernandez, 8th grader member of the Blocks Together Youth Council.
The Chicago Students Organizing to Save Our Schools (CSOSOS) is a coalition of elementary and high school students across the city of Chicago working to end the closings and privatization of public education. To learn more about CSOSOS please visit our Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chicago-Student-Union/259657167488591
Contact: Angelique Roberts, Student Leader 773-746-5136
By: Hugo Gonzalez
Student union
I just have to join this union.