Several Austin churches, parks, libraries and schools will open their doors to students Friday when the Chicago Teachers Union has planned a one-day walkout.
The Austin sites, which will be open from as early as 8:30 a.m. to as late as 5 p.m. depending on the location, are:
- Austin Library, 5615 W. Race Ave.
- Austin Town Hall, 5610 W. Lake St.
- Brunson Elementary School, 932 N. Central Ave.
- Columbus Park, Park, 500 N. Central Ave.
- Depriest Elementary School, 139 S Parkside Ave.
- Greater True Vine (safe haven location), 5936 W. Division St.
- Home of Life, Safe Haven, 5150 W. Madison St.
- Hope Community Church (safe haven location), 5900 W. Iowa St.
- Inspirational Deliverance (safe haven location), 641 N. Parkside Ave.
- La Follette Park, 1333 N. Laramie Ave.
- Mandell United Methodist Church (safe haven location), 5000 W. Congress Parkway
- Michele Clark High School, 5101 W Harrison St.
- New Life Holiness (safe haven location), 5637 W. North Ave.
- New Miracle Temple (safe haven location), 5455 W. Division St.
- North Austin Library, 5724 W. North Ave.
- Rhema Word (safe haven location), 5460 W. Ohio St.
- Rising Sun (safe haven location), 820 N. Central Ave.
- Universal MBC (safe haven location), 535 N. Cicero Ave.
To find the location closest to your home, click here. Citywide, more than 250 sites will be open to CPS students as thousands of members of the CTU stage a one-day walkout.
Students will be fed breakfast and lunch at these locations, plus the Chicago Transit Authority will be providing free transit Friday to students, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
CPS Chief Forrest Claypool has said the one-day strike is illegal, according to DNAInfo/Chicago. But CTU leadership defends the walkout, noting they’ve been working without a contract since last summer.
Teachers will participate in a “day of action,” as it’s being called, to protest state funding and local school management, culminating in a rush-hour march to “shut down” Downtown from 4:40 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, reported DNAInfo/Chicago.