Cook County District 130 parents protest 'horrifying' school conditions
Chicago-area parents speak out on 'unsanitary' school conditions
Some District 130 parents are keeping their children home Monday as they protest reported unsanitary conditions and ongoing concerns about custodial staffing.
COOK COUNTY, Ill. - Some parents in Blue Island’s District 130 are keeping their children home Monday as they protest reported unsanitary conditions and ongoing concerns about custodial staffing.
What we know:
Parents, staff and students packed a school board meeting last week, where they spent about 30 minutes urging district leaders to address conditions inside the schools.
Families have reported seeing mice, roaches, mold and stains. They have also raised concerns about unsanitary bathrooms.
The district recently let go of at least 30 custodians after failing to reach an agreement with the union representing those workers.
Some parents and community members are asking the district to bring back the former custodians. They say many of those workers had served the community for decades and were familiar with the students and schools.
What they're saying:
A flyer circulated to district families over the weekend encouraged parents to keep their children home Monday. District leaders said the flyer was not created by the district.
The district said its schools are open and safe. It also said cleaners will begin working once they are cleared and approved. District officials have blamed delays on the background check process.
During last week’s school board meeting, the board president thanked teachers, principals and other non-custodial staff for helping "fill in the gaps."
Lawmakers call for investigation
Some state lawmakers are calling on the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Department of Public Health to investigate what they described as "horrifying conditions."
They are also urging the district to resume negotiations with the custodial workers’ union, calling the termination of the custodians a failure.
The lawmakers said clean and safe schools are essential.
What's next:
A large group of parents is expected to gather outside the superintendent’s office Monday morning to protest the conditions and call for action.
The Source: The information in this story came from District 130 parents, the school district itself, and statements by state lawmakers.