LINCOLN PARK — A small but mighty group of current and former DePaul University students marched through Lincoln Park on Friday afternoon in solidarity with the Chicago teachers strike, eliciting honks and cheers from passersby.
The group of about 30 supporters, many of whom are involved in the DePaul Socialists group, joined together at the main quad at 2325 N. Seminary Ave. and then proceeded to march through one of the school buildings before a security guard stopped them.
Undeterred, the group continued down Fullerton Avenue, purposefully stopping at the Chicago Republican Party headquarters at the corner of Lincoln Avenue, Fullerton Avenue and Halsted Street to send a message.
Chants from the group like "Furlough Rahm, furlough Rauner, striking makes our movement stronger" and "We need teachers, we need books, we need money that Rahm took" rang out at the busy corner.
Students who spoke at the march said they felt "lucky" at DePaul because it's a private university with a large endowment unlike other Chicago schools that are currently in turmoil like Chicago State University.
Both current and former DePaul students marching through Lincoln Park on Friday. [All photos DNAinfo/Mina Bloom]
Since July, the state has been operating without a budget, which has left the MAP (Monetary Awards Program) grant, which are designed for low-income and working-class students, in limbo. Unlike other public colleges, DePaul was able to front the money for the grants through the end of the school year, but funding beyond that is uncertain.
Another issue brought up by the group: DePaul's adjunct teachers and their fight to unionize. President Rev. Dennis Holtschneider recently spoke out against the move, saying he would prefer if the teachers do not form a union.
"A lot of what I dedicate my life to is very precarious all the time," said Mary Bowman, an adjunct teacher at DePaul who spoke in favor of unionization at the march.
Bowman said not only is her yearly income not guaranteed, but she doesn't receive benefits.
Many current and former students said it's important to unite against what they believe are inequities in CPS and colleges across Illinois.
"What the CTU did today is put out a call and said we need to have a united struggle," said Jon Kurinsky, 29, a member of the Chicago Socialists group.
"And a bunch of other organizations heard that call and came out and stood alongside them today. If we want to win this fight, we have to figure out how to link up with people who have the social power to shut s--- down."
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