#cpscuts

[aaroncynic]

Some thoughts and photos from Wednesday's protest outside of the Board of Education in the wake of the CPS mass layoffs.

[aaroncynic]

On Wednesday, CPS released it's budget amidst a large demonstration outside the board of education. Parents, students and teachers gave heartbreaking testimony as to how they will be impacted by further cuts, after the district already closed more than 50 schools and laid off 3,000 employees.

[the-sancingqueen]

My hero, 9-year-old Asean Johnson, brought to tears during his speech to the Chicago Board of Education. He brought me to tears because he has so much strength and courage, but no one will listen. Please hear his words, his cry for help. I hope they move you as well. Transcript (to the best of my ability): Crowd chanting: LET HIM SPEAK! LET HIM SPEAK! Asean: First, I would like to thank you for giving us iPads [laughter], but that is still not enough. We have lost over 3,000 teachers, who have-- you cut in the budget cuts. And first of all, one thing that I don’t like about this board is that you only give us 2 minutes to speak but you give all these corporate businesses, what like, an hour to speak?! [applause] Secondly, you are SLASHING our education. You are pulling it down. You are taking our educational opportunities away. Let--let the community talk, let the students talk, let the parents talk, let the teachers talk. Let them control the schools--let--don’t let the bank control this board. I know that you are (unintelligible) you put all our TIF dollars into--you put all our TIF dollars into (unintelligible) for what? Can’t you put that back into the schools? You are--you are saying it’s all about the kids, but you’re not (unintelligible) about the kids. But I am a student myself and I am pleading and begging that you help these parents and help low-income. Help them out and give them what they need. Help them with these schools. PLEASE. HELP. THEM. You just need to go to that mayor and tell him to just quit his job. [applause] Please tell him he is tearing down our education.  BOE member: Asean, excuse me, can you please conclude? [Silence as he chokes back tears.] Asean: Something is wrong with this [unintelligible]. Something is wrong.

[chitownreview]

This is Chicago Public Schools's plan to close a looming $1 billion budget gap. Seventy-one percent of the fix consists of one-time reserves, good for only one fiscal year. Read more at Chi-Town Review

[the-sancingqueen]

The depth of the injustice in our society is so deep that it’s a miracle that many of our young people can see any light at all, and yet they pursue it with all they have.

And so we must too. This fight must continue, and it must not end until Rahm Emanuel and those he serves are vanquished from any position of power that they could use to further hurt the children of the City of Chicago.

Beautifully written reflection by Xian Barrett, a high school social justice/civic engagement teacher in Chicago, about recent firings of over 2000 teachers in Chicago Public Schools, including himself. This hit me pretty hard because that's exactly what I want/need to teach; actually so hard that I cried. Definitely worth the read. Hope it touches you the way it touched me.

If you still support corporate education reform after seeing what it has done to obliterate schools, communities, and the lives of students, families, and teachers, I really have nothing to say to you except: open your eyes (and your heart while you're at it).

Sending you lots of love and support, Xian. Looking forward to finally meeting you in the fall.