“Exhibit AAA” in the Koffman - Walsh Complaint (above) is Marilyn Stewart’s February 1, 2008, memo ordering the officers not to visit schools without her permission. Stewart then proceeded to avoid both the hearings on the school closings and most of the schools themselves. Although thousands of teachers, parents, students, and community leaders (including aldermen) turned out during the first three weeks of February 2008 in protest against the 19 proposed closings and reorganizations, the two largest unions representing those who would suffer the worst under the plans (the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) — which represents the teachers and most PSRPs — and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 73 — which represents custodial workers and some categories of school aides) were conspicuous by their absence. This led most informed observers to conclude that the leaders of the CTU and SEIU had cut a deal with lawyers for Mayor Richard Daley to give Daley a green light to close and reorganize schools at will during the July and August 2007 negotiations.
Ultimately, Marilyn Stewart (and her counterpart from SEIU) did not even attend the February 27, 2008, school board meeting when the Board voted unanimously and without debate to reconstitute six schools and fire all of the union members in those schools and to radically reorganize 12 other schools. Substance graphic from the CTU charges against Ted Dallas.
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