Federal lawsuits against CPS school closings set to begin
CAPTIONS
Hearings begin today on two lawsuits seeking to block the Chicago school board's decision to close 49 elementary schools and a high school program, with officials from the district and parents expected to testify over four days.
One of the lawsuits — both of which were filed on behalf of parents and backed by the Chicago Teachers Union — asks for a delay of at least a year before Chicago Public Schools is allowed to carry out its closings plan. The second lawsuit requests a permanent injunction against closings.
U.S. District Judge John Lee is also expected to rule on the district's motion to dismiss the lawsuit. Last month, Lee granted a request by the city of Chicago to be removed as a defendant.
One lawsuit argues that CPS is violating the Americans with Disabilities Act by failing to set up an orderly process of closings for special-needs children. The second suit alleges racial discrimination, saying the closings disproportionately affect African-American students, and
