Mar 10, 2010 10:28 am US/Central
CPS Students Out Rallying To Save Sports
Rallies Planned Wednesday Morning Outside Every Public School
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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One of the signs held by student at Lane Tech High School, protesting against the Chicago Public Schools' plan to cut sophomore sports this spring.
CBS
Students at Lane Tech High School and several other Chicago Public Schools staged a big protest Wednesday to try to save sophomore sports programs.
Students were expected to gather outside each school Wednesday morning.
Their goal is to get CPS administrators to reconsider a budget plan which benches many student athletes. They found out last week that CPS canceled all spring sports for sophomore teams.
"Save our sports," students chanted as they marched in unison outside Lane Tech College Prep before classes began.
The 150 students and parents protested in an orderly fashion, at times battling a torrential downpour. But not even the rain dampened their resolve as they carried signs that read, "Do you want obese sophomores?"
"It starts off first with the message that the White House is bringing down from Michelle Obama, which is these kids have to exercise," said Theresa Rowe, one of the parents who helped organize the rally.
But she said it also goes beyond that.
"We have so many issues with gangs in this city. This is what avoids more kids to getting into trouble. We don't want them to have nowhere to go after school," she said.
"They start out as a freshman, they're in a program; then they tell them they ... next year you can't be in a program. What are these kids gonna do?" said parent protester John Rowe. "My son, he's in track and he plays football. So, what are they gonna do when they tell him they can't play next year, run around on the streets?"
CPS officials have said they're facing a $1.2 billion deficit and the cuts to sophomore sports will save them $1 million. The sophomore athletes wouldn't have their own program, but they could be merged with varsity teams.
"Our message is: We have had it with hearing there's no money. We want a public record of where our tax dollars are going to the penny," said Theresa Rowe.
The Lane Tech parents were planning several more protests in the coming weeks. No date has been set for the next one yet, but they've decided it will be after school and outside Daley Plaza or the State of Illinois Building.
And Theresa Rowe said parents and students at many other Chicago public high schools are planning separate protests to create a wave of furor that they hope will bring about some change.
Interestingly enough, the student movement seems to be picking up steam from kids' social networking.
They've been building momentum by posting comments on Twitter and Facebook.
Facebook pages with more than 3,000 fans also encouraged students and parents to attend rallies.
Meanwhile, a group of top CPS principals has been lobbying the district for a better way to make the cuts and save the programs.
Among the ideas suggested for plugging the budget shortfall and saving sophomore sports is a private sponsorship program, in which players' uniforms might be stamped with corporate logos. Monsters & Money in the Morning co-host Mike North has been lobbying Mayor Richard M. Daley for that idea.
The first games of the season are still weeks away, and coaches hope to have answers for students before then.
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