CONTACT: Vigil Crawford: 773-678-7898
Anthony Bowman: 773-727-8358

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
URGENT

Student Freedom Riders Advocate For New High School at Board of Education Meeting

Students Provide Testimony about Dangers Outside Their Community

Chicago, IL. (July 25, 2007) Student Freedom Riders, a group of elementary and high school students and recent graduates, are leading the fight for a new high school to be built in the Austin community. Freedom Riders will speak out at the Chicago Board of Education meeting on Wednesday, July 25th at 10:00 a.m. They’re eager to provide first hand testimony about the dangers of traveling outside their community. They also want to demonstrate their positive work and pride in fighting for their community’s school.

Catch It! Campaign

The Student Freedom Riders are driving forward the Catch It! Campaign, which demands a brand new, comprehensive, state-of-the-art, traditional neighborhood high school for Austin. The Catch It Campaign was organized by the Westside Health Authority. Freedom Riders are the heartbeat of this movement, as they do outreach, conduct a petition drive and survey parents.

The Austin Community Education Network was formed earlier this summer to create a table where community leaders, organizations, parents and educators could plan together to increase educational opportunities for Austin youth. Organizational members include Chicago Chapter Mad Dads, Every Block a Village, Parents United for a Responsible Education, South Austin Coalition, Westside Health Authority, and the Westside Ministers’ Coalition. Student Freedom Riders participate in the coalition’s planning and actions, as all members are working to hold CPS accountable to a new high school in Austin.

School Restructuring Not Helping

The restructuring of Austin Community Academy has done nothing to increase the number of high school slots in Austin. Chicago Public Schools states that of the 1,500 freshmen Austin generates every year, only about 500, or 30%, attended the Austin Community Academy.

The Austin Academy was closed in 2004 for restructuring. Even when all three new small schools are open in 2008 (only one is currently open with a second to be opened this fall), there will only be 450 freshmen slots at the campus. Over 2/3 of the freshmen population in Austin will continue to be forced to enroll in high schools outside of the community. “CPS is sending the message to Austin that they are not worth the investment,” said a parent.

While Austin does have the selective enrollment school Michelle Clark, it is not required to take any percentage of students from Austin. Furthermore, the small schools created under Renaissance 2010 at the Austin Campus are not required by any official policy to accept students from Austin, although the schools’ leaders say they are committed to taking as many Austin students as apply.

“We need a home high school for elementary students,” said one resident, “we need to know that our youth will have a school of their own close to home where we can know they are safe.”

“This involves the future of high school education in Austin,” said Virgil Crawford, Community Organizer at Westside Health Authority. “We want to assure that our children in Austin have options that include good quality educational programs, good teachers and a safe school environment.”