By Brian
Extra News
CHICAGO — On May 8, 5000 teachers, students, administrators, and parents gathered in downtown Chicago to represent the 53,000 students in Chicago Public Schools (CPS), demanding that CPS CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett and Chicago aldermen provide “Equal Dollars for our Scholars!”
Currently, public tax money is divided unequally among CPS Schools and public Charter Schools. In addition to allowing this underfunding of charter schools, Illinois law also limits the number of charter schools that can be established, which has resulted in significant waiting lists at most charter schools, which can only accept students by lottery.
Protesters called out 35 of the 50 Chicago land aldermen who signed a resolution requesting a moratorium on the number of charter public schools in Chicago limiting the choices parents have to send their children to a good school.
“We are here to unite and claim our right to equal treatment for our public school students. If we all pay the same taxes, why are the 53,000 public school students in charter schools receiving less funding?” said a Woodlawn resident parent.
Silvia Garcia, a parent from UNO Charter School in Pilsen, led the crowd in a chant of “We want choice!” and “My child, my choice!”
Dan Good, an administrator at CICS Charter Schools mentioned the success and joy students share at their school, and that 70 percent of their graduates go onto Charter High Schools.
Students and parents…
Finish reading Chicago Charter Schools demand equality
