Tuesday, Oct. 5th
6:00pm

RESOURCES

English Flyer (Word document)
Spanish Flyer (Word document)

REPORTS

CBS
Protestors Fear Military Invasion At School (includes video)

Chicago Independent Media Center
500 Stand Up for Senn High School

Save Senn Coalition

To all the students, parents, teachers, community members and activists who came to Senn H.S. on Tuesday night (700 in all) I would like to say that our school was proud of the outpouring of support we witnessed. Thank you all for coming to voice your opinions and I hope you continue to support this fight. It is all of our fight.

From the time that we were first informed about the plans for the naval takeover (just two weeks ago) CPS administrators have acted with complete arrogance towards the people who actually work and go to school at Senn. On September 23rd David Pickens told us that he would schedule a meeting at Senn to listen to community input. That is why people were right to protest when he and Colonel Mills insisted on showing us their slick Navy promotion video. (By the way, I have seen the video twice. It is a piece of base propaganda.)

It is amazing to me that the CPS team and Alderman Mary Ann Smith decided torun out of the auditorium when they could not get their way. I personally appealed to Alderman Smith and David Pickens that I would help restore order in the meeting if they would take community questions and comments. Apparently we will have to do more to get them to listen to us.

After they left we took over the meeting ourselves. It was interesting to me that the people who had been so rowdy for Pickens and his crew were so respectful for the rest of the night. The meeting itself was very inspiring - students spoke very well as did parents and community members. People’s comments were translated into 4 languages, and I believe many people left with the impression that we can win this fight.

I have two regrets-that our sound system is not better (sorry it was so hard to hear!) and that some people who came to the meeting hoping to have questions answered did not have a chance. I would like to reach out to anyone who went away from that meeting frustrated-come meet with us at Senn and we will talk. No one is trying to shut off a dialogue. In fact, we are trying to start one!

For all of you who were inspired by that meeting and would like to get involved, the next meeting of the Save Senn Coalition is Thursday, Oct 14 that 7 PM at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 1500 W Elmdale.

Yours in Solidarity,

Jesse Sharkey. Teacher, Senn H.S.

GALLERY