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Roosevelt Students Who Staged Walkout 'Not Encouraged' by Administration

By Joe Ward | October 12, 2015 6:13am
 Members of the Roosevelt High School Local School Council turn to listen to student Kevin Garcia speak about budget cuts to the school.
Members of the Roosevelt High School Local School Council turn to listen to student Kevin Garcia speak about budget cuts to the school.
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DNAinfo/Joe Ward

ALBANY PARK — Roosevelt High School senior Kevin Garcia had something to weigh before agreeing to walk out of class last week in protest over budget cuts.

Should he put his perfect attendance record in jeopardy or speak up for his school?

Ultimately, Garcia decided his school's viability and future standing — in the face of $650,000 in budget cuts — was more important than his attendance record.

"I feel like I'm not empowered in my own education," he said at the school's Local School Council meeting Friday.

Students at Roosevelt High School staged a walkout Monday in an effort to display their displeasure in the cuts aimed at their school. The council meeting Friday served as the administration's, as well as the public's, first forum to discuss the walkout and address students' concerns.

Principal Pilar Vazquez-Vialva said that students were not given detentions or suspensions for their participation in the walkout, despite rumors to the contrary that had spread to students and neighbors.

She did say that students who walked out did receive an "unexcused absence" note, which does not result in a detention.

"They were not encouraged to do that by administration," Vazquez-Vialva said. "It was a safety concern. I had to think about that."

Roosevelt, 3436 W. Wilson Ave., is a neighborhood school that enrolls approximately 1,200 students, according to the Chicago Public Schools website.

Tenth-day enrollment figures released by CPS showed Roosevelt's head count was 100 fewer students than projected for the 2015-16 school year, which resulted in cuts because the district allots funds based on the number of students enrolled. The new cuts came on top of $872,000 slashed from the school's budget in July.

The budget cuts, as well as students' reactions to them, has inspired Betty Resnikoff and her husband, Neil, to join in the fight against budget cuts, she said.

Without a say in school matters, and unable to vote for politicians who could influence the situation (the Chicago Board of Education is appointed by the mayor), Resnikoff said students did everything they could to stand up for their school.

"I was inspired by them," she said. "We all need to stand up and speak about how the Board of Education is attacking public education."

About a dozen students showed up to the school council meeting Friday to give administration insight into their decision to protest.

They lamented the loss of Advanced Placement and elective classes. They also said they weren't afforded an opportunity to voice opposition to the changes in the school, and so a walkout was needed.

Julissa Salvador, Roosevelt student, wondered why teachers were the ones laid off.

"I do wonder why we have two" assistant principals, she said. "Teachers are closer to us. I see new security guards every week. Are they more important than teachers?"

Students' comments and questions came during the public portion part of the meeting, which does not allow for the council or administration to answer questions.

But Assistant Principal Morgan Gallagher huddled with the students afterward. He said he has arranged for administrators to be available during lunch periods next week for a back-and-forth with students.

Vazquez-Vialva said the most the school community can do to ward off further cuts is to keep enrollment up. She said administrators are working now on a recruitment plan that will better reach out to prospective students and better sell the school.

"It was a really rough week," Vazquez-Vialva said. "We can't get caught up with what's going on right now. It is critical we keep all the students we have and think about how to get more students."

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