CHICAGO, May 16, 2022 — The Chicago Teachers Union issued this statement today following another violent weekend in Chicago that led to the tragic death of a CPS student and a 6 p.m. weekend curfew for unaccompanied young people in Millennium Park:
Why does a Black mayor of a city with a large population of Black residents insist on deepening Black pain and trauma? Our youth have experienced three years of a pandemic, which followed a lifetime of neglect of their communities. The mayor needs to be doing more to address violence in schools, mental health needs and entrenched disinvestment, instead of knee jerk curfews and bans on the use of public spaces. In doing the latter, and insisting on placing blame instead of finding solutions, she is continuing the cycle of slamming doors in the faces of young people who have had doors closed on them for their entire lives.
Our hearts are heavy today for many reasons — for 10 lives lost in Buffalo, and for Seandell Holliday and all of the lives lost in our city this weekend. We hold Seandell’s family, the Comer College Prep community and all victims and families close, and stay committed to addressing the causes of violence and misplaced anger, and what our youth need to truly feel supported, respected and loved in our city.
