City College students and community leaders to challenge new district policies

Will hold Press Conference/Protest Friday, May 6, 10:00 a.m., at City Hall, 5^th Floor Mayor’s Office

Students, faculty, and community leaders will hold a press conference May 6 at Chicago City Hall to raise the alarm about policy decisions by the City Colleges administration “designed to swell the ranks of pinstripe patronage workers including politically-connected contractors at the expense of frontline services for students.”

Students and their supporters are organizing to attend the next Board of Trustees’ meeting on Thursday May 12^th to raise these concerns directly with new Board members appointed by Rahm Emanuel.

Additionally, students have already filed suit with the Circuit Court and plan to escalate their organizing efforts to stop the administration from “selling out their schools.”  They say NO to privatization and the corporate manipulation of the education systems in Chicago to suit the anti-education needs of big business.  They are also demanding an “end to the old Daley regime’s tactic of marginalizing the voices of students, staff, community members and other stakeholders in matters directly affecting them.”

Speakers to participate at the press conference are:

Theodore Fabriek, student at Kennedy-King College and District SGA President

Viviana Arrieta, student at Wright College and Students for a Democratic Society President

Jokarhi Miller, student at Malcolm X College and District SGA Council Parliamentarian

Jamila Onyeali, South Side community leader

Nubian Malik, South Side community leader

Reverend Paul Jakes, New Tabernacle of Faith Baptist Church

Reverend Michael Stenson, General Assembly Church in Englewood