Parents Protest Planned School Closings

School Board to vote on closing about a dozen schools

Angry Chicago Public School parents protested through the night Tuesday to save their neighborhood schools.

The Chicago Board of Education is set to vote today on closing more than a dozen schools.

Organizers of GEM (Grassroots Education Movement) pitched tents and held a candlelight vigil outside the public school board offices overnight, calling for a moratorium on school closures.

They say they expect hundreds more dissenters to arrive at board headquarters by bus Wednesday afternoon for a rally to halt a vote to close schools. 

The vote is not expected until close to 3 p.m.
 
The school system had slated 22 under-enrolled or struggling schools for closing or reorganization, but Chief Executive officer Ron Huberman <a href="http://">took six schools off the list Monday after hearing from parents, teachers and others at public hearings

The district began closing schools last year as part of a five-year plan to address declining enrollment. Although Huberman said he agreed with the need to close schools for low enrollment and to turn around failing schools, he planned to review the process this year.

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