BACK.
>> BRANDIS FRIEDMAN, THANK YOU.
>>> AND TO CAROL MARIN AND TWO
OF THE DYETT HIGH SCHOOL HUNGER
STRIKERS.
>> PHIL, THANK YOU.
DYETT HIGH SCHOOL HUNGER
STRIKERS ARE INTO THEIR 31st DAY
WITHOUT SOLID FOOD AND THE
STRAIN ON THEIR HEALTH IS
BEGINNING TO SHOW.
JED TWO ENDED THEIR ACTION DUE
TO HEALTH CONCERNS AND FIVE
OTHERS HAVE JOINED THE EFFORT TO
IN ALL THERE ARE STILL 1500
STRIKERS.
AMONG THE GROUPS THAT STILL
PARTICIPATING IN THIS, THEY SAY
THEY ARE RESOLUTE AND DETERMINED
TO REACH VICTORY.
THEY SAY THIS WHOLE ISSUE IS
ABOUT RACE.
UNEQUAL DISTRIBUTION OF CITY
RESOURCES AND LACK OF RESPECT
FROM CPS AND CITY HALL.
A PLAN ANNOUNCED BY CPS TO
REOPEN DYETT AS AN OPEN ENRAL
ARTS THEMED HIGH SCHOOL FAILED
TO END THE PROTEST.
JUST WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR
PROTESTERS TO CALL OFF THIS
HUNGER STRIKE.
HERE TO HELP US ANSWER THAT
QUESTION ARE DIE YET HIGH SCHOOL
HUNGER STRIKER JITU BROWN, THAT
DIRECTOR OF THE JOINY FOR
JUSTICE ALLIANCE WHICH A POSES
THE FIFTHIZATION OF PUBLIC
SCHOOLS.
AND FELLOW DYETT HIGH SCHOOL
HUNGER STRIKER ANN THAT JONES.
US THAT FOR JOINING US.
-- ANNA JONES.
>> THANK YOU.
>> DAY THERE 1, THE CITY SAYS NO
WE WILL OPEN IT AS A
NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL WITH AN ARTS
A SCREEN DA.
THERE ARE THOSE WHO SAY
MR. BROWN, ON THAT YOU STRIKERS
COULD HAVE DECLARED VICTORY.
YOU GOT THEM TO YIELD.
WHY AREN'T YOU DECLARING
VICTORY?
>> I THINK WE ARE VERY CLEAR
THAT THERE IS A MAJOR
ACCOMPLISHMENT THROUGH THE
COALITION OF REVATALIZE DYETT
AND PEOPLE, WE ARE THE REASON
THE SCHOOL IS STILL OPEN.
WE PUSHED THE DISTRICT TO REOPEN
IT.
THIS YEAR WE STOPPED IT FROM
BEING PRIVATIZED.
BUT WHY FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN
CHILDREN, DOES THE WAR HAVE TO
BE SO LOW.
DON'T GIVE US CRUMBS AND TELL US
IT IS CAKE.
4800 PEOPLE IN THE TOWN.
SIX TOWN HALL MEETINGS AND 578
LETTERS MAILED TO THE MAYOR, AND
6 LOCAL COUNCIL...
>> A DIFFERENT KIND OF HIGH
SCHOOL, THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT?
>> CORRECT.
THE GREEN TECHNOLOGY, BECAUSE
THE NUMBER ONE GROWTH INDUSTRY
IN THE UNITED STATES...
>> YOU WANT TO GET YOUR STUDENTS
INTO JOBS IN AN ARTS ACADEMY
WOULD NOT?
>> WE SUPPORT THE ARTS.
WE BELIEVE TO HAVE A STRONG ART
PROGRAM AND AN ACADEMICALLY
STRONG SCHOOL IS WHAT WE NEED.
UNFORTUNATELY THE NUMBER ONE
INDUSTRY WHERE THERE IS
UNEMPLOYMENT IS THE ARTS.
NUMBER ONE WHERE THERE IS GROWTH
IS GREEN TECHNOLOGY.
WE WANT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE
COMMUNITY CENTER SCHOLARS AND WE
HAVE WORKED ON THIS SINCE 2009.
OUR RECORD IN FIGHTING FOR DIE
YET HIGH SCHOOL IS WELL
DOCUMENTED.
>> DO YOU AGREE?
IS THERE NOT A VICTORY IN IN
THIS?
CPS WAS GOING TO CLOSE DYETT AND
IT SAID HEY WE CHANGED OUR MIND
AND WE'LL KEEP IT OPEN.
>> I THINK THERE IS AN
ACCOMPLISHMENT, NOT HAVING THE
SCHOOL PRIVATIZED BUT WE STILL
HAVE A LONG ROAD TO COVER.
>> HOW MUCH WEIGHT HAVE YOU
LOST?
>> NEARLY 20 POUNDS.
AND MR. BROWN?
>> TO DATE 34.
AND YOU ARE EATING NO SOLID
FOOD.
ARE YOU DRINKING ANY MILL BE
-- MILK SHAKES?
>> WATER.
BY DOCTOR ORDER DRINKING PROTEIN
SHAKES, BUT PRIMARILY WATER AND
JUICE.
>> THIS IS A I WILL RUIN MY
HEALTH AND RISK DEATH, IS THIS I
FIGHT TO THE DEATH OR YOU?
>> WE DON'T WANT IT TO BE.
WE JUST FEEL LIKE WE HAVE BEEN
RENDERED VOICELESS.
JUST LAST WEEK PARENTS AT
LINCOLN ELEMENTARY...
>> ON THE NORTH SIDE?
>> YES, GATHERED 21 MILLION AND
NEXT, AND THEY BARELY NEEDED TO
SWEAT FOR, THAT AND THEIR
CHILDREN DESERVE IT.
WE HAVE THOUGH ACRIMONY TO THE
PARENTS BUT BY GOOD OUR CHILDREN
DESERVE IT TOO.
AND WE WORKED AND DEVELOPED A
WORLD CLASS PLAN, PEOPLE NEED TO
UNDERSTAND THE REASON WHY CPS
DID NOT SUPPORT DYETT GLOBAL
LEADERSHIP AND GREEN TECHNOLOGY
HIGH SCHOOL IS NOT BECAUSE IT
WASN'T A GREAT PLAN.
WE GOT FROM THE HEAD OF THE
AMERICAN RESEARCH ASSOCIATION,
ACADEMIC EXPERTS SAY IT IS A
STELLAR PLAN.
IT'S POLITICS AND BEING BULLIED
BY THE LOCAL ALDERMAN, WILL
BURNS, WHO SAID IN THE
"SUN-TIMES" THAT WE WERE TRYING
TO BUILD AN EMPIRE.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT THIS, THIS IS
A BROAD BASED COALITION THAT
PUTS US TOGETHER, THERE IS A WAY
TO WORK THIS OUT.
WE ARE WILLING TO TALK WITH CPS
AND GAVE THEM A LIST OF DEMANDS
BUT YOU KNOW WE ARE TIRED OF OUR
CHILDREN BEING UNDERSERVED AND
BEING BLAMED FOR THE CHILDREN
BEING UNDERSERVED.
>> YOU MET WITH SECRETARY OF
EDUCATION ARNIE DUNCAN AND RAHM
EMANUEL AND THERE WILL BE PEOPLE
WATCHING THIS THAT MIGHT SAY, IT
IS MY WAY FOR THE HIGHWAY.
>> WELL, OUR CHILDREN RIGHT NOW
ARE STARVING OF AN EDUCATION, SO
WE PLAN TO STARVE FOR THEM.
WE WANT TO TAKE THAT FOR THEM
AND, THEIR CURRENTLY IN THE
PROCESS OF JUST STARVING OF
BASIC EDUCATION.
THEY ARE NOT GETTING.
AND WHILE PEOPLE MAY THINK THAT
WE HAVE A GAINED A GREAT VICTORY
WE HAVE NOT.
THE ARTS THEME IS A PLAN THAT
THEY PUT TOGETHER IN LESS AND
WEEK, WE HAVEN'T EVEN SEEN THAT
PLAN.
AND THE PLAN...
>> YOU HAVE NOT BEEN CON
SUMMITTED?
>> WE HAVEN'T HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN AND
SPEAK WITH THINK ONE.
OUR PROBLEM IS YOU MAKE A PLAN
FOR THE COMMUNITY WITHOUT THE
COMMUNITY, IT IS REALLY NOT FOR
THE COMMUNITY.
OKAY?
>> SO WHAT WILL IT TAKE.
WHAT COULD HAPPEN TONIGHT, IF
THE PHONE WERE TO RING, WHAT
WOULD YOU NEED TO HEAR THAT YOU
COULD SAY OKAY?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
WE REACHED TOUT CHICAGO PUBLIC
SCHOOLS REPEATEDLY.
>> FORREST CLAYPOOL?
HIM AND CEO JANICE JACKSON,
CHIEF EDUCATION OFFICER WHO WE
HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF FAITH IN
AND BELIEF IN HER CAPACITY.
WE WANT TO SEE GREEN TECHNOLOGY
IN THE CURRICULUM AND WE WANT TO
HAVE IMPUT ON WHO THE PRINCIPAL
IS AND AN ELECTED LOCAL SCHOOL
COUNCIL AND A PROMINENT POSITION
ON THE DESIGN TEAM.
AGAIN, THE SCHOOL WOULDN'T BE
OPEN IF IT WASN'T FOR PARENTS
THAT VOWEDDED AND GOTTEN
ARRESTED AND DONE ALL TYPES OFED
A ADVOCACY AND ORGANIZING.
AND WE HAVE A SET OF DEMANDS AND
WE ARE WILLING TO TALK AND WORK
IT OUT.
BUT SEE, CAROL, THERE HAS BEEN
NO COMPROMISE.
COMPROMISE IS WHEN TWO PEOPLE
SIT DOWN AND THEY STATE THEIR
POSITIONS AND WORK SOMETHING OUT
THAT IS AMENABLE TO BOTH
PARTIES.
THIS IS DICTATED TO US AND AS A
MATTER OF FACT THE PEOPLE WHO
STOOD ON STAGE WITH ALDERMAN
WILL BURNS AND STATE
REPRESENTATIVE CHRISTIAN
MITCHELL WERE SOME OF THE SAME
PEOPLE THAT PAID DISINSTITUTE
AFRICAN-AMERICAN $25 APIECE FOR
THE CLOSING OF DIE YET HIGH
SCHOOL.
>> ONE THING THEY SAY IS THE
LAST GRADUATING CLASS ONLY HAD
13 KIDS AND SO DYETT WAS LOSING
ENROLLMENT AND LOSING ITS HOLD
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND AS A
CONSEQUENCE IT NEED TO BE
CLOSED.
CPS WON'T SAY THE REASON THE
THIRTEEN KIDS WERE THE ONLY ONES
REMAINING.
BECAUSE THOSE KIDS WERE
DETERMINED TO STAY THERE AND
FINISH THEIR SENIOR YEAR.
THEY LOVED DYETT HIGH SCHOOL.
ALSO NOT INVESTING IN THAT
SCHOOL MADE PARENTS HAVE NO ON
THE CHOICE BUT TO LEAVE THE
SCHOOL.
IT CAME FROM NOT INVESTING IN
THE SCHOOL THAT CAUSED THE
SCHOOL TO BE UNDERUTILIZED.
IT IS NOT THE FAULT OF THE
CHILDREN, IT IS THE PEOPLE WHO
ARE SUPPOSED TO INVEST IN THAT
SCHOOL AND PUT FUNDS INTO THE
SCHOOL AND THEY DID NOT.
>> THERE ARE CHARTERS IN AND
RAIN DYETT.
>> YES MA'AM.
WHY NOT SINCE YOU WANT A REAL
VOICE IN THE CURRICULUM AND WANT
A REALLY STRUCTURE THIS
YOURSELF, HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT
CREATING ROAR OWN CHARTER WHERE
YOU HAVE MORE LATITUDE IN THAT
DECISION?
>> THAT IS AN EXCELLENT
QUESTION.
AND HERE'S WHAT I WOULD SAY.
WHY PUT BLACK CHILDREN, ALWAYS
PRIVATIZATION.
FAMILIES IN LINCOLN MARK HAVE
WORLD CLASS NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS
THAT THEY CAN WALK DOWN THE
STREET AND SEND THEIR CHILDREN
TO.
WHY MUST WE SETTLE FOR LESS.
WE WANT A RETURN ON OUR TAX
DOLLARS.
WE HAVE AT THIS PLACE BECAUSE WE
HAVE BEEN RENDERED VOICELESS.
WE DON'T PAY TAXES TO BE
DISENFRAN CHISED.
IT IS NOT OUR JOB TO DEVELOP
SCHOOL PROPOSALS, BUT WE ROLLED
UP OUR SLEEVES AND DEVELOPED A
WORLD CLASS PROPOSAL.
SO WHAT WE ARE SAYING IS WE WANT
WHAT OTHER FOLKS GET, WITHOUT
SWEATING FOR IT.
WE WANT WORLD CLASS NEIGHBORHOOD
SCHOOLS THAT PEOPLE CAN WALK
DOWN THE STREET.
THERE IS NO SCHOOL CHOICE FOR
AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHILDREN THAT
IS A FARCE, BECAUSE WE DON'T
HAVE THE CHOICE OF A
NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL AND YOU SEE
IT THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
WHY SHOULD, WOULD PARENTS BE
DRIVEN TO THE POINT OF STARVING
THEIR BODIES, THIS IS NOT A
PUBLICITY STUNT AND WE WORKED ON
THIS SINCE 2009 AND EVERY CORNER
THAT WE ATTEMPTED TO WORK WITH
CPS AND WE HAVE GIVEN THEM IDEAS
AND BROUGHT HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE
TO THE TABLE AND AT EACH STEP WE
HAVE BEEN IGNOREED BE BE TRAYED
AND LIED TO.
AND WHEN THEY CALL DYETT A
FAILING SCHOOL THEY WON'T TELL
YOU IN 2008 IT HAD THE LARGEST
PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS GOING TO
COLLEGE IN THE CITY.
AND THEY WENT SAY WE HAD A
DECREASE OF ARRESTS AND
DETENTIONS.
>> HOW ARE YOU DOING, I KNOW ONE
OF MY COLLEAGUES SAW YOU WALK IN
AND THOUGHT YOU WERE WALKING
SLOWLY.
PHYSICALLY, HOW DO YOU GO 31
DAYS WITHOUT EATING?
>> I THINK BREAKS, THROUGHOUT
THE DAY.
I REST.
BUT I WALK SLOW BECAUSE I AM
DIZZY WHEN I WALK FAST IN MY
REGULAR PACE.
AND I WALK SLOW BECAUSE I HAVE
HEADACHES.
AND I TRY TO KEEP MYSELF, WITH
SMALL STEPS RATHER THAN LARGER
ONES.
>> YOU REALLY THINK IT IS WORTH
IT?
>> IT IS WORTH IT IF MY HEART IS
BROKEN, I MAY HAVE A POKER FACE
RIGHT NOW BUT MY CHILDREN HAVE
SUFFERED FROM THE AFTERMATH OF
SCHOOL CLOSINGS AND REALLY THE
LOVE, THE GLOBAL LEADERSHIP AND
GREEN TECHNOLOGY, WITH THE
OVERCROWDING OF THE SCHOOLS WITH
NO BOOKS IN THE SCHOOLS.
>> FIFTEEN SECONDS LEFT, HOW ARE
YOU?
>> PHYSICALLY EXHAUSTED.
YOU KNOW, I THINK OUT OF
EVERYONE I MAY BE ONE OF THE
STRONGER ONES, BUT DIZZY SPELLS,
AS ANNA SPOKE TO.
BUT ALSO THIS EXPERIENCE HAS
TAUGHT ME ABOUT UNEQUAL
EDUCATION IN THE CITY OF
CHICAGO.
THE MAYOR.
CITY CAN WATCH US STARVE AND NOT
HAVE MUST HAVE RESPECT TO BLACK
VOICES TO TALK WITH US.
WE WANT A RESPECTFUL
CONVERSATION.
>> HE ALREADY DID TALK TO YOU.
HE TALKED AFTER BEING FORCED TO
HAVE A CONVERSATION BUT IT
WASN'T A NEGOTIATION.
WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO HEAT WITH
RAHM EMANUEL SINCE 2010.
>> YOU REMAIN RUSS LUT FOR THE
DAYS THAT GO FORWARD?
>> AND WE DO AND WE WANT A
CONVERSATION AND IT IS REALLY IN
CPS'S COURT.
WE ARE FLEXIBLE AND WILLING TO