Protesters holding a sit in at the Whittier elementary school field house in Pilsen got support from the area’s alderman on Monday. Chicago Public schools wants to demolish the building.
More than 50 parents, teachers, and community activists continued their demands that CPS rehab the building and include a new library. Some of the protesters have been staying overnight since last week to prevent the demolition.
Vincent Sanchez, chief of staff for Alderman Daniel Solis, told the group:
SANCHEZ: We do want CPS to come down here and meet everyone, so that we can get resolution to this. We are in support. I am also a community member here, so it’s important to me that they meet with them.
Sanchez says his boss wants the district to re-inspect the building.
Here’s how schools chief Ron Huberman described the building at a Chicago Board of Education meeting last month.
HUBERMAN: What you refer to as a field house--right--is a long rectangular, not large building made of wood that is truly falling apart in every sense of the word.
A CPS spokeswoman says the protest does not change the district’s plans.