Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday History Review... 'Support our night-time vigil to protest policies that starve neighborhood schools and reward politicians� friends...' CTU to do a January 21 sleepover at the Board to protest charter explosion, ongoing attacks on Chicago's real public schools
The Chicago Teachers Union is marking a major anniversary and the ending of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend with a series of events overnight on the night before the January 22, 2014 meeting of the Chicago Board of Education. The organizing will begin after school at the Chicago Temple (Washington and Clark) at 4:45 p.m. Following that even, at 5:30 p.m., there would be a march to 125 S. Clark St., headquarters of the Board of Education.
On the cold night of February 24, 2009, more than 100 activists organized by the "Grassroots Education Movement" (GEM) and the "Caucus Of Rand-and-file Educators" (CORE) camped out in front of 125 S.Clark St. before attending the February 25, 2009 Board of Education meeting and protesting the closing of schools that year. Five years later, in January 2014, the protests continue, organized by many of the same people and groups. But a little over one year after the February 2009 protests, CORE was elected to lead the Chicago Teachers Union. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.The main event of January 21 will be an outdoor "sleepover" on the cold sidewalk outside the soon-to-be-evacuated headquarters of the nation's third largest school system at 125 S. Clark St. According to the public agenda published by the Board under the Open Meetings Act, the Board is supposed to approve another 21 charter schools and so-called "campuses" less than a year after CPS voted to close 49 of the city's real public schools.
The events on the night of January 21 will include a activities at the Chicago Temple (across from City Hall) and a march to the Chicago Teachers Union offices (at the Merchandise Mart).
ACCORDING TO A CTU PRESS RELEASE ISSUED ON JANUARY 18:
Join the Chicago Teachers Union, parents and community members to kick off an overnight vigil and protest to protect our neighborhood schools and fight the expansion of the unnecessary, privately held charter operations at public expense.
Despite the opposition of parents, community organizations, elected officials and Neighborhood Advisory Council Members, CPS will vote to approve charter expansion plans in 9 new neighborhoods at the CPS Monthly Board Meeting, Wednesday, January 22nd.
Some of the protesters who camped in front of the Chicago Board of Education's headquarters on the night of February 24, 2009 (above) have promised to return on the night of January 21, 2014 protesting the latest round of attacks on Chicago's real public schools. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.Support our night-time vigil to protest policies that starve neighborhood schools and reward politicians� friends.
Tuesday, January 21st, Kickoff: 4:30 p.m.�7:00 p.m., Overnight Vigil: 7:00 p.m.�8:00 a.m.
Meet at Chicago Temple. 77 W. Washington
After an indoor program at the Chicago Temple there will be a brief march to CPS Headquarters.
For more information, or if you want to join or support the overnight vigil, contact organizing@ctulocal1.com or 312-329-6227.
