MEDIA WATCH: Mayor asked to 'Walk the Walk'!... No major 'boycott' of protests against closings, turnarounds, and co-locations as second week of hearings begins and creative protests against Chicago's hypocrisy grow...
As the second week of the latest round of 'We will 'listen' to you but if you have a question call 911...' so-called hearings by Chicago Public Schools continues, some of the Chicago corporate media is grabbing on to the face that a few community activists have become so enraged at the insults and manipulations by the administration of Mayor Rahm Emanuel that they are ignoring or boycotting the hearings, while the majority are organizing direct actions and some creative approaches to the latest attacks on the city's real public schools.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Ohio resident Barbara Byrd Bennett have been laughing at thousands of Chicago teachers, parents, children and political leaders since they began their thrust to destroy another 50 to 70 of the city's real public schools in October 2012, when the above photo was taken. From the beginning of the charade, sources told Substance that Emanuel's objective was to take away 50 school buildings, later turning most of them over to charter schools. Byrd Bennett's promises are as serious as her commitment to Chicago, as a recent Substance investigation has shown (she lives in Ohio and has an expensive address in the Gold Coast -- possibly paid for by taxpayers or her plutocratic sponsors -- for her brief time as Emanuel's racist hatchet mercenary). Substance photo by George N. Schmidt. On Tuesday, April 9, activists from two West Side elementary schools will sponsor another "Walk The Walk" tour of what will be facing the children from their schools if Barbara Byrd Bennett's attack in approved by the Board of Education at its May 22 meeting.
On Thursday, April 11, activists from one South Side elementary school will be canvassing their community in the face of an irrational claim that Barton Elementary School is "failing" and needs to be subjected to "turnaround."
And every night, the majority of parents, teachers, and students from the schools under attack by corporate "School Reform" will be turning out for the hearings.
The "Walk The Walk" tour on Tuesday is for Erikson and King elementary schools.
According to their "Media Alert" --
MEDIA ALERT FOR WALK THE WALK DEMANDS THAT RAHM EMANUEL FACE HIS VICTIMS ON THE WEST SIDE....
Media Alert - TUESDAY - Walk the Walk— reality of CPS closures — safety, distance, other issues addressed
“Walk the Walk” Event Kicks off Tuesday — Illustrating Danger, Distance, Overcrowding Issues of Proposed School Closures.
Walks will also shed light on many “overlooked” positive aspects of current schools further calling into question the rationale behind mass closings
What: The Raise Your Hand Coalition, Blocks Together, COFI and Save Our Neighborhood Schools have partnered together to shed light on the reality of distances, safety concerns and potential for overcrowding for proposed school closures and receiving schools. The first two “Walk the Walk” events will take place on Tuesday, April 9th.
Parents from all corners of the city have invited Mayor Rahm Emanuel to join in the first two of planned weekly Tuesday “walks” from proposed closing schools to receiving schools. Parents will provide important and positive factual details about schools on the closure list.
Date: Tuesday, April 9, 2013
MORNING: First Walk: 8:30 a.m. From King Elementary (740 S. Campbell) to Jensen School (3030 W. Harrison)
AFTERNOON: Second Walk: 3:45 p.m. From Leif Ericson Elementary (3600 W. 5th Ave.) to Sumner School (4320 W. 5th)
Walk the Walk Parent Contacts/Speakers:
King Elementary:
• Lakecha Green 312 772-1338, lakechagreen@yahoo.com
• Nancy Pina (Spanish Speaker) 708-834-3301 npina0901@gmail.com
• Nikkia Pierce 312 834-6610 npierce3@ccc.edu
Ericson School:
• Hazel Prentiss 773-387-4658 hlprentiss@gmail.com
• Cynthia Johnson 773-626-7456 madamcj@yahoo.com
Photo Op: 50+ people expected for each walk. The walks will illustrate significantly longer distances that children will have to walk to attend receiving schools as well as the safety and security concerns associated with new routes including gang areas, drugs, abandoned buildings associated with school closures.
Contact: If you plan to attend this event or have any questions, please contact Amy Smolensky at 312-485-0053 or amysmolensky@comcast.net.
