RYH is really proud to be a part of the Anarchitectural Library exhibit which is part of the Chicago Architecture Biennial! From Toronto based artists Adrian Blackwell and Christopher Mendoza: We would like to invite your organization to participate in this small reference library within the Chicago Cultural Center, which will document activism against the neoliberal erasure of Chicago’s common spaces: its housing, schools, manufacturing districts, and metabolic circuits—clean air, water, food security and park spaces—as well as spaces which are literally removing people from city spaces—such as prisons, police stations and immigrant detention centers. We are asking organizations like yours, who are actively resisting these erasures, to submit print materials you have made, as well as a short list of books or other resources that are useful to your understanding of the issues you organize around, which we could then acquire for the library and donate back to you at the end of the exhibition. Specifically, we would really appreciate your contribution to the section on the erasure of schools. Continue reading

CPS announced the five proposed make up days for the 11 day CTU/SEIU strikes: Wed, Nov 27; Th, Jan 2; Fri, Jan 3; Wed, June 17; and Th, June 18.  Please note that these are proposed make up days. The CPS Board of Education (CPS BOE) must vote to approve these days. You have two opportunities to express your opinion before the CPS BOE vote:  1️⃣ There will be a hearing on the revised calendar and budget on Tues, Nov 12, 2019: 4-6pm (in person sign up to speak: 3-4pm); 6:30-8:30pm (in person sign up to speak: 5:30-6:30pm) ; CPS, 42 W. Madison. Here are the details on these hearings. Speakers have 2 min to speak. 2️⃣ The calendar and budget revisions require approval from the mayor appointed CPS BOE. The next CPS BOE meeting is Wed, Nov 20, at 10:30am. Online sign up to speak or attend this meeting begins on Mon, Nov 18, at www.cpsboe.org, 10:30am sharp. Continue reading

On October 29, CPS mom and Raise Your Hand board member, Andrea Tolzmann, spoke at the #CTUSEIUStrike rally at the Hide Out, across the street from Fleet Fields, the soccer fields on the Lincoln Yards site. Huu Nguyen, CPS parent, RYH parent leader, and Illinois Families for Public Schools board member, also spoke. You can read both statements below. Watch video of the speeches here.  Continue reading

In good news, SEIU Local 73 has a tentative agreement! In not so good news, there's no agreement between CPS and CTU but negotiations continue. Emotions are high right now- and for good reason. Be good to yourself and others. We will get through this. Social media tip: Sometimes you just have to keep scrolling or get off social media for a while. At the end of this contract negotiation, we are still all parts of school communities which are part of a larger community, the Chicago Public Schools. Our children need all of us working together.  Continue reading

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We sent the below email this afternoon.  UPDATE: The strike continues after a day of bargaining. No school, Friday, October 18. Downtown rally, 1:30pm, City Hall. UPDATE 10.18.19: Emergency Bilingual Ed Action-CTU/SEIU 73 Strike Day 2!, Friday, Oct 18, 11:30am - 2:30pm, Thompson Center Food Court. FB event page has more details. Continue reading

Sun-Times: Chicago Public Schools classes canceled Thursday in anticipation of teachers strike Mayor Lori Lightfoot and schools chief Janice Jackson announced all Chicago Public Schools classes are canceled for Thursday in anticipation of the strike.  Continue reading

Possible strike(s) update below. We are one week away from our annual fundraiser, Raise a Glass for RYH! Thanks to all of you who have bought tickets, purchased an ad or sponsorship, and joined The Host Committee! Continue reading

Our new(ish) Executive Director, Jianan Shi, is celebrating his birthday! Wish him a happy, relaxing birthday weekend by BUYING YOUR Raise a Glass for RYH TICKETS TODAY! 🥳 Continue reading

Strike Update:  Last night CTU’s House of Delegates set Thursday, October 17 as the possible start of a teachers’ strike. This is the same day that SEIU Local 73 (school district staff) and Chicago Park District workers could start strikes. WBEZ: Chicago Teachers And Two Other Unions Set Strike Date Sun-Times: 35,000 Chicago teachers, school support staff and park district workers set joint strike date As we noted in our email blast sent last week: This does not mean there will definitely be a strike. We urge both sides to take every measure possible to avoid a strike. Continue reading