Whittier Elementary Battle Renewed

By Chuck Sudo in News on Jun 17, 2011 6:20PM

The deal reached between Chicago Public Schools and parents of Whittier Elementary School students over the proposed razing of the Pilsen school's fieldhouse while Richard Daley was still in office doesn't look as though it's going to be honored by Mayor Emanuel's School Board and new CPS CEO Jean-Claude Brizard. The Whittier parents sent out "an immediate call to action" yesterday.

While the Whittier Parents wish to work with the new administration to implement their agreement with CPS, the latter has made decisions regarding the future of the library at Whittier without the parents’ input. They have overridden the parents’ unequivocal dissent and decided to construct the library inside the main school building, something the parents have vehemently opposed due to the already overcrowded conditions. Such a plan would require the demolition of special education space, resulting in the displacement of students. This action threatens to throw everything the parents and allies have worked and fought for out the window. The Whittier Parent Committee in conjunction with students, community members and a design advocacy group has created an award winning design proposal to renovate La Casita into an accessible and green building for a library, but no one in the new CPS administration or Board of Ed has given the parents an opportunity to present their proposal. CPS may start implementing their plan to demolish the special education space in the next few days, and we must act quickly to ensure that students are not displaced and that the Whittier Parent Committee has their voices heard.

The parents held two banner making sessions yesterday but the more practical call to action would be to call Brizard's office at 773-553-1500 and urge him to support the plan to turn the fieldhouse into a library.