BACK OF THE YARDS — Parents and teachers rallied outside Seward Elementary Thursday afternoon to protest the possible closing of a classroom annex rented across the street at Holy Cross Church.
Last week, the school’s principal notified rank and file members of the Chicago Teachers Union that Chicago Public Schools would terminate its rental agreement with the Archdiocese of Chicago and close an annex that holds seven of the school’s classrooms, according to a union news release.
Chicago Public Schools officials said Thursday's protests were uncalled for; no decision on eliminating the annex has been finalized.
"CPS conducts periodic facility reviews to ensure schools have appropriate space to provide students with a high-quality education," said Chicago Public Schools spokesman Michael Passman in a statement. "CPS is conducting a thorough review of Seward's facility needs in coordination with school administration, and no decisions have been made at this time."
That didn't stop dozens of protesters from gathering outside Holy Cross Church, 4600 S. Hermitage Ave. at 3 p.m., beating drums and passing around a megaphone.
"Back of the Yards and this neighborhood is not just going to sit by and let this happen," said Greg Michie, a 7th and 8th grade teacher at Seward. "We are going to fight for our kids."
Parents, teachers and students fear the closing of the annex will eliminate the school’s art program, library and computer lab.
CPS officials said any suggestion that eliminating the annex would impact arts instruction or access to library space is premature.
"We are taking a careful look at the school's space needs to determine if leasing space from the Archdiocese is still necessary, and no decisions will be made until that analysis is complete," Passman wrote in an email.
Wendy Howe, a Seward teacher for the last 33 years, said the closing of the annex at would be devastating.
"The loss of this building and the overcrowding that it would cause and the detriment to this community is why we're doing this," Howe said. "There should be no reason that it should be done."
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