General Iron Protest: CPS Urges Saving Jobs for Teachers Facing Layoffs for Environmental Activism

The Chicago Public Schools board of directors rejected a district recommendation to fire two educators who encouraged students to protest the planned relocation of General Iron’s car-shredding operation to their southeast side community.

George Washington High School teachers Lauren Bianchi and Chuck Stark should be given warnings and must agree to training related to district rules, the board ruled unanimously Wednesday.

Both teachers openly opposed General Iron moving from Lincoln Park to East 116th Street along the Calumet River, a site just over a half-mile from the school where they taught. The students of the school participated in a series of demonstrations.

In addition to multiple marches and demonstrations, Stark participated in a hunger strike and Bianchi was arrested at a protest outside a city official’s home.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration finally denied a permit for the business to operate in February. Last week, federal officials who have investigated the matter for the past two years accused the city of practicing racially discriminatory zoning and land use policies.

The Chicago Public Schools recommended firing the two for alleged “repeated instances of poor judgment and bias in their instructional roles and in their faculty advisory roles.” A report of more than 400 pages described the allegations, although that document was not made public.

Chicago Teachers Union officials say Bianchi and Stark were attacked by Lightfoot for embarrassing her.

“Let me be clear: This is retaliation,” CTU President Stacy Davis Gates said at a rally in support of the two teachers on Wednesday. “This is retaliation because we have two educators who stood in unison with their students, their families and their communities to challenge racism.”

In a statement on Wednesday, Lightfoot said that “the board considered a matter today involving allegations of serious rule violations and made a decision. This matter is now closed.”

Several representatives from the Southeast Side school and the community spoke during the board meeting in favor of retaining the two teachers. Both have taught at George Washington for four years.

Donald Davis, a veteran teacher at George Washington, told the board that Bianchi and Stark are “star teachers” at the school and said he believes they were “being unfairly targeted.”

Marcelina Pedraza, a community member and parent, told the board that Stark and Bianchi are “amazing teachers and our community is lucky to have them.”

One former student credited teachers for helping her attend Northwestern University as a freshman this fall on a full scholarship.

“They have been some of the best teachers I have ever had,” said Trinity Colon, who recently graduated from George Washington and participated in protests against the metal crusher. “If the board really cares about black and brown youth, it will not fire teachers who have done nothing but love and protect” students.

Both Bianchi and Stark were told Tuesday that CPS was recommending their termination. Both have described their work with students as “culturally relevant education” that is supported by the school district.

“I am overwhelmed with joy,” Bianchi said after the board vote. “It’s been a terrifying 24 hours.”

“All the evidence showed that we did nothing wrong,” Stark said, adding that he hopes to return to George Washington for the start of the new school year next month.

In closing remarks, Chicago Board of Education President Miguel del Valle said, “This board believes in culturally relevant education and it is a core value of CPS.”

“We will continue to support all of our teachers who promote education that is relevant and sensitive to our students’ environments and the overall state of their communities. So in no way do we want to move away from that commitment,” del Valle added.

CPS officials said in a statement after the vote that they hope the warnings “will not only address the behavior of these teachers, but will ensure that the promotion of civic engagement among school communities is done appropriately and with due consideration.” for the safety of the students.

The Brett Chase Reports on the Environment and Public Health are made possible by a grant from The Chicago Community Trust.