Many CPS Students Not Allowed to Speak at Board of Ed

Chicago Students Organizing to Save Our Schools | www.facebook.com/csosos | @ChiStudentsOrg

MEDIA ALERT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Update: Only Three CSOSOS Student Organizers Allowed to Address Board of Education, Out of 23 Who Signed Up; Students seated in special section in Board chambers

Students plan to hold a press conference outside 125 S. Clark St. after the Board of Education meeting has ended.

Chicago, 7/24 12:00pm -- 23 Students from Chicago Students Organizing to Save Our Schools (CSOSOS) registered in advance to speak at today's Board of Education meeting, taking place now at 125 S. Clark St. Upon arriving at the meeting, students were told only three of them three would be allowed to address the board.

At first, most CSOSOS students were placed in an overflow room on a different floor from the Board meeting. After pressure from tweets by supporters, students were moved into the Board chambers, placed in a special section off to the side.

Students say they are demanding;

    A democratically elected Board of Education.

    All future TIF funds must be directed to public education.

    Monthly meetings between CPS students and the Board of Education.

Tweets:

@heho_aveee: Can't get a good view anywhere. Thanks #CPSBoard pic.twitter.com/K9o4C1ATyL (https://twitter.com/heho_aveee/status/360072317025525760)

@gregrgoodman: Students from @ChiStudentsOrg separated into special "student zone" where #CPSboard security can keep eye on them pic.twitter.com/fy3HwNPbcK (https://twitter.com/gregrgoodman/status/360067632625500160)

@KenzoShibata I'm hearing 23 students signed up to speak at the Board meeting but the Board's limiting them to 2 and seating them in a *special section*@gregrgoodman: Students from @ChiStudentsOrg separated into special "student zone" where #CPSboard security can keep eye on them pic.twitter.com/fy3HwNPbcK (https://twitter.com/KenzoShibata/status/360051411582599168)

@gregrgoodman: Twitter pressure works! All @ChiStudentsOrg students now in #CPSboard chamber. Most registered speakers still won't be allowed to speak(https://twitter.com/gregrgoodman/status/360066634897031169)

@gregrgoodman: @ChiPubSchools has created a "special student room" on a different floor to keep students out of Board of Ed mtg #CPSboard (https://twitter.com/gregrgoodman/status/360049975012495361)

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Chicago Students Organizing to Save Our Schools | www.facebook.com/csosos | @ChiStudentsOrg

MEDIA ALERT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SAVE OUR SCHOOLS: CPS Students Speak Out at Board of Education Meeting
Over 35 students plan to attend, 20 to speak on CPS closings, layoffs, and privatization

For live updates on Twitter, follow: @gregrgoodman

Chicago 7/24 – A group of at least 35 Chicago Public School students are attending Wednesday's Board of Education meeting at 125 S. Clark St. Students will tell the board, in their own words, how school closings will affect them. Students who have signed up to speak at the meeting will address the impact closings, layoffs, privatization, and charter schools have on current CPS students.

“Students are speaking out because our voices are not being heard,” says Jamie Leann Adams, a rising sophomore at Roosevelt High School, who will address the Board of Education on Wednesday. “We're the experts on Chicago Public Schools, and we know best how closings will affect us. The Board of Education says they want to put students first. To do that, they need to listen to us.”

Students from 15 Chicago Public Schools are organizing under the banner of Chicago Students Organizing to Save Our Schools (CSOSOS), a student-led organization dedicated to amplifying student voice and engaging students in educational activism.

“School closings hurt the students more than anyone,” says Avelardo Rivera, a rising sophomore at Whitney Young High School, who will address the Board of Education on Wednesday . “We're losing our relationships with our teachers, homeless students are losing vital services, and students with special needs are being left behind.”

Students will be holding a press conference outside of 125 S. Clark St. immediately following the Board of Education meeting.

Additionally, opponents of school closings are organizing a picket of the Chicago Board of Education headquarters on Wednesday, July 24, at 125 S.Clark at 8:30 AM, and are calling for a twitter storm Tuesday, July 23 from 7pm to 9pm CST using the hashtag #StopCPSCuts (http://pastebin.com/eWnFfhVJ).

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Release sent in solidarity by @OCPress on behalf of @ChiStudentsOrg