24 Comments
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Susan Tuzzolino's avatar

Let’s hear it for CPS!! And all school districts who refuse to bend! Stay strong everyone and keep your love alive!

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KM's avatar

Extra proud CPS parent here! Thank you for your work every day-- but you've made my family's day today!

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Erin Reed's avatar

Thank you for your work!

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Ellen Adele Harper's avatar

Chicago is my kind of city.

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Virginia Raymond's avatar

So heartening! GO CHICAGO GO!

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Don Jackson's avatar

This is great news!! Hooray for public schools pushing back! While lily-livered Ivy Leagues, afraid of losing all their rich white guy support, bend the knee. Thank you so much for your reporting, Erin!!

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Tony D's avatar

That’s my city

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Punkette's avatar

Lucky you! 🫶🏼

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Ella's avatar
Sep 26Edited

I join all of us lauding in CPS for their courage, and above all their basic human decency. Unlike so many, they actually *do* care about the children.

In light of this, I'd like to share a quote from Adam Serwer at The Atlantic that I read just now. It's a timely message to the Ivy League colleges, the hospitals, clinics, and others who have capitulated to the Authoritarian in Chief: "As it turns out, you can’t sell your soul to Trump and keep your spine; they’re a package deal."

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Ella's avatar

Adam Serwer, by the way, originated, or at least popularized, the phrase "the cruelty is the point" in a 2018 article by the same name (and he's now published a book with that title, too). His most recent article, quoted above and titled "Lower Than Cowards: The surrender of America's elites," ends with a one sentence paragraph that speaks eloquently about the people at CPS:

"The people, it turns out, are far more courageous than their leaders."

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Nancy's avatar

"...we will move forward with protecting the rights of all students." and "What’s clear is that local school boards are offering a lesson Democrats in Washington: you don’t have to comply, even when the demands are hard."

This is so important. When one group loses rights, we all lose. It's only a matter of time before they get to the next group on their target list.

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Briar's avatar

I grew up in the Chicago suburbs (didn't attend CPS) but fuck yes this is my city and they stand strong in so many ways. Every time a school district isn't bowed into capitulation, it sends signals to others that they can and should be brave too.

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Mike Gelt's avatar

This is a wonderful sign, We need more of this throughout our country. Standing up to trump and his flunkies is what he understands. We must continue to push back hard every time he opens his dictatorial mouth. He is a bully and pushing back against bullies is the only thing they understand.

WE MUST VOTE THEM OUT AND TAKE BACK CONTROL OF CONGRESS IN NOVEMBER

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Sandra's avatar

Heartening news out of Chicago for sure. But this is, at most, a tiny part of a battle in an overall war against trans people. The right-wing zealots have momentum and a huge disinformation campaign on their side, and they will stop at nothing. They are seasoned at this by now, and know precisely where to strike to do the most damage.

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R131313's avatar

Looks like public school systems can teaxh higher schools a valuable lesson.

SHAME to those colleges and universities that have caved.

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Joan the Dork's avatar

Chicago Public Schools understood the homework assignment.

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Dee E Dressler's avatar

Its feeling more and more that our beloved country is going to split like the Handmaids Tale. Illegitimi non carborundum. For those unfamiliar with The Handmaids Tale it means "Don't let the bastards grind you down."

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Jesse Keeler's avatar

I knew Chicagoians wouldn't be bullied. People on the third coast are bada**es! Don't f-around with Chicago!

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Antoinette Accampo's avatar

It's nice to see people who will stand up for what is right and legal. With all Trump's flaws I never realized he was this anti trans before he got elected. This is more than a few words, it's active sweeping policies and yes a little scary at times.

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