Thousands Sign Petition Expressing Outrage Over CPS' Decision to Hold Friday Classes

Classes in the nation's third-largest school district were canceled Wednesday and Thursday as Mother Nature gripped the area with brutally cold temperatures and biting wind

A petition created to express outrage that Chicago Public Schools were open Friday had gathered more than 20,000 signatures by early Friday morning.

All classes in the nation's third-largest school district were canceled Wednesday and Thursday as Mother Nature gripped the area with brutally cold temperatures and biting wind.

"While temperatures are expected to remain cold, we are welcoming our students back to class on Friday," CPS CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett said in a Thursday evening statement.

The decision prompted thousands of people to sign a Change.org petition hoping to convince Byrd-Bennet to change her mind.

"All CPS schools need to be closed on January 9th due to extreme weather conditions," the petition's creator, Damian Jaje, wrote on the Change.org website. "It is not safe for students to travel to school on bus or feet."

CPS was not alone in asking students to return to class Friday. Other districts that are also open Friday include Waukegan Community Unit School District #60, District 128 in Palos Heights, District 50 in Woodland and District 140 in Tinley Park.

Schools closed Friday include 21st Century Preparatory Center in Park Forest, Annunciata School in Chicago, Beacon Hill School in Chicago Heights, Berger-Vandenberg Elementary school in Dolton, District 108 in Willow Springs, District 104 in Summit and District 109 in Justice.

A link to a continually-updated list of closings and late starts is available on NBCChicago.com/weather.

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