GEM's Renaissance 2010 Protest, January 2009
This school year started with staff cuts, overcrowding, flippant schedule changes, and students crossing into new neighborhoods. As stakeholders in the Chicago Schools, none of this is new. The media turned its attention to Chicago in the wake of the death of Derrion Albert. The media, local and national beckoned for some answers as to why violence is striking our school communities.
CORE has been researching the effects of the CPS’s policies, most notably “Renaissance 2010″ and the “20 Day Rule.” Our research shows some connections between destabilizing school communities and spikes in violence. We felt the obligation to bring our findings to the press and held a press conference on October 7, 2009 across from City Hall.
Karen GJ Lewis is with a caucus of the Chicago teachers union called CORE. Lewis says if 8th grade students applied to high school, and were assigned to a school of their choice months before school starts, schools would know staffing needs up front. She says cutting teachers on the 20th day of school harms students.
LEWIS: This is a travesty. But again, we have asked, we have begged to be a part of the process. We could help, we could offer solutions. We are always ignored.
CORE teachers say teacher cuts this late in the year disrupts students’ lives, leading to violence and truancy.
