Thread by @ChiParentsAct

Formerly the #CPSSickOut group, @ChiParentsAct has evolved into a network of progressive parents, families, caregivers & community activists in Chicago who passionately defend public education. What do we support? First, public school teachers' rights and teacher unions. 🍎✊ 1/

Public school teachers and public school districts are facing attacks by extremist groups trying to defund and destroy public education. Either with aggressive bullying or in more subtle ways trying to privatize and monetize schools through charters, 'choice' and vouchers. 2/

Activate Chicago Parents is a progressive counterweight to the conservative parent groups attacking public education and bankrolled by right-wing special interest orgs. We won't let them take over Chicago. Not our schools, not our city. 🍎✊ 3/
truthout.org/articles/many-…

In @ChiPubSchools, we actively fight for funds and resources to go directly to the Black and Hispanic majority schools, some that have no heat, crumbling walls, dirty floors and rodents, and no soap in the bathrooms. Where is the $2.8 billion being spent? 4/

Activate Chicago Parents supports teaching antiracism curriculum and racial history in all CPS schools, including the Reparations Won curriculum about Black survivors of police torture in Chicago. 🍎✊ 5/

"The GOP has made attacks on teaching about structural racism the centerpiece of their attempt to regain power in 2022 & 2024. This is shaping up to be a generational battle against racism, akin to the struggle to desegregate schools." - @CTULocal1 🍎✊ 6/
ctulocal1.org/posts/in-defen…

Conservative parent groups have a renewed fire to ban books that they object to from public schools and libraries. 🔥 They are targeting LGBTQ+ books, books that they label "CRT," and basically any content that causes 'white discomfort.' 😡 We push back against this hate. 🍎✊ 7/

Related to book bans, these same groups are targeting public school teachers, focusing on what they are allowed to say or teach in the classroom. These groups want to eliminate 'objectionable material' and fine teachers for discussing LGBTQ+ or structural racism with students. 8/

We trust teachers, and want them to stay. Like CPS teacher @D_Stieber: "We want policy that actually shows that our students matter... No matter how hard we try we can’t help but see the inequities, the injustice, the hypocrisy in our education system." 9/
edsurge.com/news/2022-02-1…

Specific to the Covid pandemic, @ChiParentsAct fully supports mask mandates for all K-12 schools for the remainder of the school year. Thank you @CTULocal1! "Our Agreement with CPS requires masks in schools until Aug. 26, 2022. We will continue to abide by that agreement." 😷 10/

The number one demand of the #CPSSickOut group has always been for @ChiPubSchools to support remote learning options for all CPS students. We are still in a pandemic, and sustained remote learning should be available for *any* CPS family that requests it, at any time. 🍎😷✊ 11/

@ChiPubSchools strictly controls who can or cannot receive remote instruction, denying CPS students who would otherwise be able to login from home access to public education. (Ironically, this week CPS policy said any students who refuse to wear a mask can learn remote.😡) 12/

We demand transparency and accountability from @ChiPubSchools, and we hold the district responsible when there is deliberate manipulation of data. In January, they purposefully changed the COVID-19 data dashboard to obscure school-level cases and mislead parents. 😡 @CPSCovid 13/

Since the start of the school year, parent & community groups have demanded accessible vaccine clinics at *every* CPS school building, instead of the scattered and confusing timetables sent out. There must be a Covid vaccine requirement in CPS when school starts in Fall 2022. 14/

Thank you to @SSKedreporter for her WBEZ report on how @ChiPubSchools and @ChiPublicHealth have continually stumbled and failed to be proactive during the pandemic, leaving a trail of mismanaged and inadequate contracts in their wake. 😡 15/ wbez.org/stories/cps-is…

@ChiPubSchools also continues to deny hundreds of students w/ disabilities access to public education by failing to provide bus transportation and other required services for SPED students. It's well past time for Dr. Jones to be fired for mismanagement and violations. 🍎✊ 16/

By the end of February, CPS must "use those buses for students with Individualized Education Programs, medically fragile students, and students in temporary housing who haven’t yet received reliable transportation." Why was this delayed for so long?? 17/ chicago.chalkbeat.org/2022/1/26/2290…

We support progressive candidates for the upcoming Chicago Board of Education elections, and we fight against Mayoral control of Chicago's public schools and budget. We don't trust a Mayor who gave $280 mill of Covid funds meant for schools and communities to the police. 😡 18/

Activate Chicago Parents supports the ongoing fight by community activists and student organizers to get #CopsOutCPS and remove police officers from all CPS school buildings, for the physical safety and mental health of Black and Brown CPS students. 🍎✊ 19/

As parents and caregivers, we have power to demand changes in @ChiPubSchools, but it is up to us to also listen to the voices of CPS students who are actually experiencing the inequity on a daily basis. We support empowering youth organizers and following their lead. 🍎✊ 20/

Youth voices matter. We actively support @GKMC18 @StuStrikeBack @ChiStudentResp @chiradsCPS and other youth orgs as they plan walkouts, protests, and mutual aid funds, all while trying to take care of their mental health, stay safe, and grow up. ❤️✊ 21/
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Sign up to get alerts from #ActivateChiParents if you're ready to get involved in actions, protests, events, and contacting elected officials to protect public education, support public school teachers, and fight for the future of CPS. 🍎😷✊ /End bit.ly/ActivateChiPar…