IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Stephanie Gadlin
March 7, 2014 312-329-6250
Chicago Teachers Union to lead rally Monday in support of teachers, families participating in ISAT opt-out
Gathering is part of a citywide ‘Let Us Teach!’ day of action against district bullying and retaliation
CHICAGO—The Chicago Teachers Union on Monday will launch a citywide “Let Us Teach!” day of action and rally for families and teachers in their recent stand against the Illinois Standard Achievement Test (ISAT) in Chicago Public Schools. The rally will be held from 4-6 p.m. at the CPS Pilsen-Little Village Network office at 501 W. 35th St. in Chicago in support of the more than 1,700 students at 80 schools— including three charter schools—who were opted out of this week’s ISAT, and joined teacher-led decisions to teach instead of test at Saucedo Scholastic Academy and Drummond Montessori School.
Over the past two weeks, the district has responded to the mass opt-out with misleading and contradictory communication to families and Local School Councils, in-school harassment and threats of decertification against boycotting teachers, and intimidation against parents and students who have opted out or wish to opt out of the ISAT.
“CPS and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) have performed a most unusual feat—they have turned a detour into a disaster,” said CTU Vice President Jesse Sharkey. “Parents chose to opt out and teachers wanted to teach, and had CPS and ISBE acted with more calm and made a simple adjustment in course, it’s doubtful that anyone who didn’t work at CPS or send their kids to a CPS school would even be talking about the ISAT.”
WHO: Chicago Public Schools parents and teachers, the Chicago Teachers Union and community partners
WHAT: “Let Us Teach!” rally against CPS bullying and retaliation, and in support of families and educators choosing learning over testing and opting out of the Illinois Standards Achievement Test.
WHEN: Monday, March 10, 2014
4-6 p.m.
WHERE: CPS Pilsen-Little Village Network #7
501 W. 35th St.
Chicago, IL 60616
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The Chicago Teachers Union represents 30,000 teachers and educational support personnel working in the Chicago Public Schools, and by extension, the more than 400,000 students and families they serve. The CTU is an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers and the Illinois Federation of Teachers and is the third largest teachers local in the United States and the largest local union in Illinois. For more information please visit CTU’s website at www.ctunet.com.
SG:oteg-743-trmarksallen2800@aol.com
Chairman & COO National Black Wall Street Chicago
(Rev. Willie T. Barrow Consumer Education and Consumer Action Project)
Founder/Lead Organizer, Illinois Voter Restoration Civic Education Project
Chief of Staff to National Chairman, National Black Wall Street USA
"And The Ordinary People Said" News Blog, www.chicagonow.com
Chairman, Community Reinvestment Organizing Project
Listed in 2012 Edition Who' Who In Black Chicago
4655 South King Drive, Suite 203
Chicago, Illinois 60653
(Office) 773-268-6900 or direct 773-392-0165
The Rev. Al Sharpton calls Mark Allen "one of Chicago's legendary political activists and one of the best organizers of his generation"
Chairman & COO National Black Wall Street Chicago
(Rev. Willie T. Barrow Consumer Education and Consumer Action Project)
Founder/Lead Organizer, Illinois Voter Restoration Civic Education Project
Chief of Staff to National Chairman, National Black Wall Street USA
"And The Ordinary People Said" News Blog, www.chicagonow.com
Chairman, Community Reinvestment Organizing Project
Listed in 2012 Edition Who' Who In Black Chicago
4655 South King Drive, Suite 203
Chicago, Illinois 60653
(Office) 773-268-6900 or direct 773-392-0165
The Rev. Al Sharpton calls Mark Allen "one of Chicago's legendary political activists and one of the best organizers of his generation"
https://theblacklist.net/
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