In an reverse of the previous decision, CPS announced that Sara Sayigh, the librarian at the South Side’s DuSable Campus, would keep her job. The official word is that this was funded by an "anonymous donation".
There are a lot of important lessons and warning from this entire experience.
- What a powerful lesson for the students of DuSable that peaceful protests work. Social media is a tool to be wielded to bring about decisions that are just and fair. And these are accessible to students, young people , all people who are interested in pursuing what is right and good.
- The Chicago Teacher's Union voted to authorize a strike should negotiations not go well. If this cut-essential-staff-mid-year tactic is any sign, this is going to be a long several months. But
- It is important to realize that often issues of teacher contractual negotiations are not just about money. The DuSable incident gave the wider world a rare glance into the dynamics of schools and the politics there. At the heart of this issue is that students deserve the best education they can get. That means getting the best teachers that are available, equipping them, treating them with fairness, and empowering them to teach students and affect change.
I can think of no better comment on the entire situation than s. Sayigh's own words:
"Since 2012 when ⅔ of CPS schools had a librarian, half of those positions have been cut resulting in a system where only ⅓ of CPS schools have librarians as of the beginning of this school year 2015-16. Even more have been cut during this school year...Once the librarian is cut, the library is nothing more than a room, and the collection is dispersed and ruined. Many studies have shown the importance of school librarians but rather than cite them here, I urge you to find a single privileged person whose child goes to a school without a librarian and library. Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s children go to the Lab Schools where there are 7 or 8 librarians." (emphasis added)
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