Brother Jitu and others are chained together outside Rahm’s fifth floor city hall office.
If Dyett High School closes there will be no neighborhood public high school in Bronzeville.
None in Oakland.
None in Kenwood.
Parents, teachers and community members have presented an alternative program that would leave Dyett open.
CPS CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennet and the mayor have refused to listen or consider it.
“This year so far it’s been sad. At Dyett, there’s no hope in there,” said Chrisean Criddell, 17, also a senior.
Earlier, well-known activist Jitu Brown, who was among those chained together, said Dyett had good enrollment numbers and was performing well until CPS decided to phase it out beginning in 2012.
Emanuel “will have to answer for the sabotage of Dyett High School,” Brown said. “There’s a lower set of expectations, systemically, for these babies than the babies who go to Lake View” High School.”
About 6:15 p.m., Chicago Police threatened arrests and herded the protesters who weren’t chained together into elevators and off the fifth floor.
Those who remained chained together were there well into the evening, according to police and activists who were getting updates on their smartphones from those still inside.
Fred Klonsky 
why does this only happen to black inner city schools? such a shame
I applaud the efforts and courage of Brother Jitu and those who are accompanying him in this activism! He is bringing attention to an important matter which is covered minimally by the press. It will be interesting to see how the Chicago press portrays this group. Will they be presented as a group of community members who want fairness for their children? Or, will they be presented as a group of trouble makers?
No, Dyett students, you do NOT matter. Let us refer back to a Sun-Times article, “CTU Chief: Rahm Gives Up on Many Chicago Kids,” Rosalind Rossi, 2/29/12–describes the dinner Lewis had w/Rahm, whereby he is quoted, “25% of these kids are never going to be anything. They are never going to amount to anything. And I’m not going to throw resources at them.” Guess you are part of that 25%, Dyett. And not only from Rahm;’s mouth to Lewis’ ears, but let’s remember his pal Rauner, as well, told Diane Ravitch at a dinner something similar (Fred had a recent post about this).
That having been said–because you matter to US, Dyett–to the other 99%, we all know what to do. Run, Karen, run–and everyone–the 99% of us–get those petitions signed and the votes out.
Because you will always matter to us. Yes, WE can. And we WILL.