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Aug 29, 2008 4:43 pm US/Central
New Trier To Open One Campus For School Boycott
State Sen. Rev. James Meeks Is Boycotting First Day Of School Over Education Funding
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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New Trier High School will not open its campus in Winnetka (pictured) for the Chicago school boycott being organized by the Rev. James Meeks -- only the Northfield freshman campus
CBS
State Sen. Rev. James Meeks plans to make good on his plan to boycott the first day of school this coming Tuesday, and New Trier High School has agreed to open one of its North Shore campuses for the occasion.
Meeks is staging the boycott along with other Chicago pastors in protest of a lack of education funding. They said thousands of students agreed to skip school.
They will be bused to try to register at New Trier, but the school has declined to open its main campus in Winnetka. All The Chicago students will be sent to the New Trier freshman campus in Northfield to register.
The school has agreed to hold registration at the Northfield campus from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for approximately 2,000 students.
The school districts plan to explain the registration requirements for participating students and parents, for which the first step is to provide proof of residency.
"Our goal is to do our best to provide a welcoming environment for the students and parents visiting our campus next Tuesday and to hold a regular school day for our students and staff," said Linda Yonke, New Trier Superintendent, in a news release.
But not everyone in the CPS system agrees with the boycott plans. Teachers, parents and students from Ella Flagg Young Elementary marched Friday and passed out fliers for a common cause.
"Education is the most important thing," said parent Latasha Chase. "I think all kids should be in school on the first day."
"I like writing and learning and I like my teachers," said second-grader Darion Parker.
"We're excited about teaching and learning," said Principal Crystal Bell. "We want you here on September 2nd."
Those CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot talked to at the march said a first day of school boycott just isn't the answer.
"Students need to be in school. Let the parents protest," said teacher's assistant Mary Parker. "Let the kids be in school, the parents protest."
"My kids will be in school, September 2nd. The only thing that's going to keep them, they're in the hospital, close to death. They're going to school!" Parker added.
Earlier this week at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Meeks said he would be willing to call off the boycott if the state reached a deal for school funding, but no such deal came. Gov. Rod Blagojevich left the convention early and did not attend the state delegation meeting on Thursday.
Blagojevich spoke against the boycott earlier this week.
"I think Rev. Meeks needs to call that boycott off -- I think it's a big mistake to ask kids to miss school," Blagojevich said.
"He can't give me an ultimatum to call the boycott off," responded Meeks earlier this week. "I can give him an ultimatum: keep the promise he made in 2006 and put the $10 billion in education -- we wouldn't even be discussing a boycott."
Chicago Public Schools Chief executive Officer Arne Duncan has asked pupils to ignore the boycott and implored them to aim for perfect attendance. He criticized the organizers and their methods.
CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot contributed to this report.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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