CPS Students Walk Out Over Proposed Cuts

By Marcus Gilmer in News on May 5, 2010 4:15PM

Students walk out of class at Whitney Young to protest proposed budget cuts

An hour ago, a few hundred Chicago Public School students got up and walked out of their classrooms to protest proposed budget cuts that could reduce full-day kindergarten services, cut non-varsity sports, and increase class size to as many as 37 students per classroom. Students have already organized online, forming a group called "10,000 Students To Stop CPS Budget Cuts" (so far, there are only just over 3,500 members). Today's walk-out was also organized online as students planned to leave class and march to CPS headquarters at 125 S. Clark. One reader sent in the above photo of students leaving Whitney Young around 10:20 a.m. Streets around 125 S. Clark have been reportedly blocked off. We're also told that while some teachers were quietly supportive of the walk-out, administrators threatened discipline for students who cut class for the rally. Today's walk-out comes a little less than a month after a similar walk-out also aimed at protesting cuts.