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Chicago Public Schools Fri May 10 2013
Chicago Students Always Lead the Way
By David Stieber
Those of us who work with students day in and day out know the brilliance and potential that our students have. We also find ourselves as educators, parents and taxpayers becoming increasingly frustrated by a mayor, "CEO" and appointed school board that consistently and blatantly do not have the best interest of our students at heart.
Have no fear our students will lead the way. Yes, our students that the media far too often label as "gang bangers" "thugs" or "criminals" will lead the way against the harming polices implemented by CPS.
Students have been organizing to fight the ill-proposed school closings and over testing taking place in our schools. This student led group made up of hundreds of students from various schools across the city goes by the name Chicago Students Organizing to Save Our Schools or CSOSOS.
This student-led group meets weekly, creates agendas, plans and organizes. These students from various parts of the city cross gang lines, racial lines, to come together to improve this city from the inside out. CSOSOS has organized a walkout/protest of Day 2 of the PSAE testing. Students from other schools have followed in their footsteps and walked out of school to protest the unfair firing of their teachers like what happened at Lincoln Park High School last week.
These student groups and student actions aren't just happening out of thin air. There is a long historical precedent of students leading this city.
As a history teacher, I decided to do some research and find as many examples of student action in Chicago as I could. The following list is not comprehensive, but it is a start to give us all the understanding that our students are not only brilliant but are capable of leading this city. The student actions are well rehearsed and organized. Their actions cannot be measured with a multiple choice bubble test.
Freedom Day 1963: 200,000 students walk out city wide to protest funding cuts to education
Equal Rights Walkouts 1968: Citywide student demand for equal rights for all students led by African American and Latino students
Anti-Immigration Law Walkouts 1995: Citywide student protests against legislation that would take away basic human rights for immigrants
Iraq War Protest Walkout 2003: Students walked out of class citywide to protest the U.S. led war in Iraq
Senn High School Student Walkout 2004: Students and community protesting becoming a military school
School Closing Walkout 2009: Citywide walkouts against the proposed school closings
System Wide Proposed Funding Cuts Walkout April 2010
Social Justice HS Students protest firing of teachers and principal, Aug. 2012
King High School Student Sit In to protest principal, Dec. 2012
Lane Tech Students Protest Banning of Persepolis, March 2013
Day 2 PSAE walkout April 2013: Students walked out on the second day of PSAE testing against school closings and over testing.
Lincoln Park High School students walkout May 2013: Students protesting the wrongful firing of many of their teachers
Needless to say, our students are intelligent and partake in the democratic process that this country was founded on. So if our students feel forced to have a protest to make their voices heard, join them. They are teaching all of us what Democracy looks like, sounds like, and feels like.
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David Stieber is a father, husband, CPS teacher of History. Dave is passionately committed to promoting and improving urban public education, while simultaneously improving the lives of his students. He recently earned his masters in Urban Education Policy Studies from the University of Illinois at Chicago.