Going to prom, signing yearbooks and attending graduation are all part of the high school experience. But about 4,400 teens each year don’t reach these milestones because they die from suicide.

The 25th Chicago Police District is working with community youth to discuss ways to prevent this silent epidemic that is the third-leading case of death for teens.

Last week, a youth forum on teenage suicide was held at the 25th Area District headquarters at 5555 W. Grand Avenue. Officers Cynthia Flores and Anne Zamzow hosted a group of 15 students for a frank discussion on an issue that receives little attention and is often misunderstood.

“On any given day, you might miss the signs,” Zamzow said.

The officers welcomed Ginny Trainor, business development director at Riveredge Hospital, to lead the three-hour presentation and discussion. The students, who ranged in age from 8th graders to high school seniors, had the chance to get together, socialize over pizza and talk honestly about what Trainor calls a “taboo topic.”

The group watched a short film “Choices” that explored the case of two teens who contemplated suicide and the steps their friends took in trying to help. The teens shared their reactions and debated whether the friends of the two teens took the right measures in intervening.

“Teen suicide is important, and there isn’t a lot of education,” said John Tacuri, a freshman at Lake View High School.

And teen suicide isn’t just something we see on TV or in movies, said Eric Ellstion, a freshman at Steinmetz High School. It’s a very serious problem, Ellstion said.

Even though Tacuri and Ellstion attend different schools, they both said they would tell their track coaches if one of their friends at school was showing signs of suicide.

The world is different for today’s teens than the generation before, said Trainor, but adults should try to remember how challenging those years can be and not be so quick to dismiss what teens are going through.

“We have to remind ourselves what it felt like as teenagers,” said Trainor. “When kids are feeling suicidal, they feel they’re not being heard.”

And teenagers themselves should also be aware of the signs their friends might be exhibiting, Trainor said.

“If you have a friend who’s depressed one day and all of sudden happy another, that’s a day you should be concerned,” said Trainor. “Sometimes you have to be willing to risk a friendship; if you don’t say anything, it’s something that can weigh heavy on you.”

It’s really hard to ask for help, said Trainor, but teens who are suicidal often reach out in ways that might not be obvious. Four out of five people who complete suicide have previously attempted suicide in the last 12 months, said Trainor.

In 70 percent of cases, the person told someone within one hour of their intention to commit suicide, Trainor said.

It is crucial to know the warning signs, said Trainor. Some of those signs include:

• Suicidal threats – this doesn’t always mean outright statements but comments such as, “It doesn’t matter I’m here.”
• Previous suicide attempt/s
• Sudden changes in behavior, like a drop in grades or loss of interest in activities
• Depression
• Final arrangements – this might include telling others the songs someone wants played at the funeral or who should or should not attend
• Making rounds – making a point to say goodbye to the people who are important to the person
• Giving away prized possessions

Teens who feel suicidal need people who will truly listen and willing to step in, said Trainor. It’s important, she said, if you feel your friend might be suicidal to be direct and insist on the truth.

Trainor has presented at groups like this one over the past year and said she’s excited by the opportunity to reach out to schools across the area starting this fall. This September, she has eight trainings already lined up, thanks in part to a new suicide prevention bill approved by the Illinois General Assembly earlier this year.

The bill, HB4672, will provide at least two hours of training to teachers and other school personnel, working with students grades seven through 12, to identify the warning signs of suicidal behavior in teens and the appropriate methods of intervention.

Illinois is the fifth state to pass the Jason Flatt Act.

Teens shouldn’t have to go through this alone, and there are places to go to for help, Trainor said. These people might include a favorite teacher, parent, clergy member, guidance counselor, medical doctor or other trusted adult, she said.

If you or someone you know needs to talk, call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or Riveredge Hospital Assessment and Referral Department at 708-209-4181.

Article from  AustinTalks.org.

The lawsuit, filed March 5, alleges Jay Medicar Transportation, a medical transport company based in Chicago, tolerated sexual harassment. Several female employees say the company knew of harassment complaints and did nothing, even after a supervisor retaliated against one female employee.

Tina Stillwell and other employees claim they were subjected to repeated, sexually demeaning comments, according to the court records; their supervisor demanded sexual favors, and these same employees were allegedly the target of racial slurs. When Stillwell filed a complaint, the lawsuit states, she was fired in November 2005.

Harassment is covered under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Not only does sexual harassment include sexual demands or sexual contact but also creating a work atmosphere that is intimidating, hostile or offensive.

Only a small percentage of cases are tried by the employment opportunity commission because of the limited resources for the high volume of cases charged, said Justin Mulaire, the commission’s trial attorney. In Chicago, Mulaire said approximately 30 cases were filed by the commission in 2009.

Nationwide, the commission filed cases for188 of the 93,277 complaints brought to their office in 2009. The number of sexual harassment complaints increased 15 percent from approximately 24,000 to 28,000 between 1999 and 2009.

“These cases are difficult to prove,” said Mulaire. “Most of time when there’s discrimination there’s no videotape, and the case turns on the credibility of the witness.”

Complaints are first filed within the human resources department before the commission becomes involved. The number of retaliation claims 17,883 to 28,948 jumped 39 percent between 1999 and 2009.

People need to feel free to make these types of complaints to their human resources department and not fear losing their job, Mulaire said. The goal of these cases goes beyond relief for the employees he represents, said Mulaire, and aims to promote all employers’ compliance with the law.

“When we file a case, our overarching goal is deterrence,” said Mulaire. “We want to help demonstrate to employers to take these alleged activities seriously.”

But complaints were not brought to the human resource department’s attention, said Eric Amazaleg, owner of Jay Medicar Transportation. Amazaleg took over the company after the alleged incidents of sexual harassment occurred in 2005.

After performing its own investigation, Amazaleg said he doesn’t understand why the suit was filed in the first place.

“I’m meeting with my attorneys and considering a lawsuit against the EEOC,” said Amazaleg. “None of us were notified (about the harassment).”

In tough economic times, it’s more difficult for employees to quit and find new jobs, and the culture of harassment continues to fester, said Fraeda Kapor Klein, founder of the Level Playing Field Institute in California. Klein said retaliation against employees who complain and multiple forms of harassment are on the rise.

“This case is reflective of a trend that harassment tends to travel in packs,” Klein said.

The true costs of tolerating this type of culture are bigger than lawsuits, said Klein.

“Employers need to recognize they’re losing money if they ignore harassment,” said Klein. “Because employees who witness harassment have less incentive to be productive or loyal or tell their friends and relatives not to work their or buy its products. Prevention is prudent.”

Sexual harassment still takes place, and holding employers accountable legally might be the most effective way to address the problem, said Peter M. LaSorsa, an attorney who represents victims of sexual harassment.

“The idea that corporations are going to police themselves when it comes to sexual harassment is ridiculous,” said LaSorsa. “Left on their own, employers won’t do the right thing.”

In either case, sexual harassment is about using power over an employee, said LaSorsa.  Employers don’t want anyone to rock the boat and often retaliate and fire those who complain, LaSorsa said.

No hearing date has yet been scheduled in the case, but the defendants’ response is due May 4.

State Rep. Thomas Holbrook (D-Bellville) introduced a bill, HB5114, that would create stiffer penalties for offenders who target the homeless, veterans, active duty members and reservists of the Armed Forces. Instead of facing up to a year in jail, first-time offenders could spend one to three years in prison, while repeat offenders could receive three to seven.

If passed, Illinois would be the first state to protect veterans under its hate crime law and be one of a handful of states including Maine, Maryland and Washington, D.C., to include the homeless, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures and National Coalition for the Homeless.

Shelters, job training and financial aid are not enough to help the homeless and veterans who are being victimized in Illinois every day, proponents say. They argue the bill would encourage victims to come out of hiding and report these crimes. But opponents contend the bill isn’t needed because perpetrators are already prosecuted under current law, and no victims should receive special treatment.

It’s thrill-seeking teenagers who increasingly target the homeless, said Michael Stoops, community organizer for the National Coalition for the Homeless. Between 1998 and 2008, 43 percent of the 880 hate crimes committed against the homeless in the U.S. were committed by 13- to 19-year-olds.

Twenty-two percent of all homeless are veterans, according to the Department of Veteran Affairs. In Chicago, approximately 1,000 veterans are homeless on any given night.

Ed Shurna, executive director of the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, said he supports the bill and believes it’s necessary to address the violence perpetrated against people without homes. Last year in Chicago, 74,000 people were without a place to live, Shurna said.

“Someone is lying there defenseless and has no protection,” said Shurna. “The police will not write up the cases and tell them they shouldn’t be there in the first place. They’re blaming the victim.”

The Chicago Police Department did not return calls seeking comment.

By and large homeless are victims, not perpetrators, said Shurna. He describes the types of crimes committed against the homeless as being particularly violent and dehumanizing.

“Homeless people are set on fire and spray painted,” said Shurna. “A lot of people who are homeless try to hide and squirrel because they’ll be targeted.”

David Rittgers, spokesman for the Cato Institute in Washington, D.C., a public policy research center based on libertarian principles, disagrees the bill is needed because Illinois has laws on the books criminalizing assault and battery.

“There’s overlap here,” said Rittgers. “While the homeless might be a target, it’s already illegal to assault them.”

Rittgers said the bill is not good policy and is discriminatory towards certain offenses.

“We’re supposed to punish crime equally amongst all persons,” Rittgers said.

Johanna Dalton, executive director of Goldie’s Place, a support center for the homeless, said she supports initiatives protecting the homeless against these types of crimes, but it is just one piece of a larger, complex puzzle.

Goldie’s Place serves approximately 1,000 people each year, providing employment training and supportive services. Dalton said 60 percent of their clients are chronically homeless, meaning they’ve been without a home for at the least the last 12 months. Housing opportunities are limited and restrictive and the road to self-sufficiency is long, said Dalton.

“These are the people most in need; for them it’s not a sprint but a marathon,”said Dalton. “And we try to provide a sense of hope, but there are so many gaps in the system.”

County sheriffs, assessors, coroners and treasurers throughout Illinois are losing 35 percent of their annual $6,500 state stipends this year; circuit clerks, however, are losing 100 percent. The stipend was created in 1986 by the Illinois General Assembly to cover additional duties circuit clerks perform under state law. The stipend was increased to its current amount in 1999.

The Illinois Supreme Court, which is responsible for the circuit clerks’ budgets, says the cuts are necessary to help cover the probation department’s massive $43 million shortfall. But circuit clerks argue their cuts are disproportionate to other state offices, and under the Circuit Clerks Act, the stipend is mandated.

Part of the circuit clerks’ duties include the collection and distribution of fines and data collection of all circuit courts. Gov. Pat Quinn’s 2011 budget plan, released last week , recommends $245 million to the court’s budget, 14 percent less than the requested $322 million.

The stipend from the state budget is needed to compensate clerks for the great amount of work needed to stay on top on ever-changing legislation and the long hours required, said Becky Jansen, president of the Illinois Association of Circuit Clerks. Jansen said the clerks are being singled out, and there are options, such as grants, the probation department could pursue to cover its deficit.

“We understand there are cuts, but we’ve never asked for an increase,” said Jansen, circuit clerk of Effingham County.  “We want to be treated like the other departments.”

The circuit clerks might pursue legal action to restore their stipend but only as a last resort, Jansen said.

“We don’t want any lawsuit, but we also have to protect ourselves,” she said.

The money needs to be reallocated to prevent the salary cut, Jansen said, and the likelihood of the money coming from other sources, such as local taxes, is slim.

By law, the probation budget needs to be fully funded; in the past year, it saw a 63 percent cut, from $95 million to $36 million, said Joe Tybor, spokesman for the Illinois Supreme Court. The money diverted from the clerks was necessary to help fill the gap, Tybor said, adding that he was unaware whether the clerks’ stipend was mandatory.

“After several months of work, the chief justice pleaded and received $16 million,” he said. “The court views the probation system as being vitally important.”

The cut could affect clerks soon retiring, said Sherri Miller, circuit clerk of Carroll County.

“This cut impacts me personally by eliminating 14 percent of my salary, and it impacts my retirement, which is based on the last four years of income,” Miller said.

While cuts need to be made, they should made applied equally, argued Randy Frese, circuit clerk of Adams County.

“This seems to be a slap in the face to court clerks, Illinois Supreme Court and the Illinois Constitution,” said Frese. “I understand that the state is in a fiscal crisis, and I am willing to negotiate this matter. Let’s start with this — if all wages and expenditures in the state’s budget will be cut by 10 to 20 percent, I will accept a 10 to 20 percent cut gladly.”

Historically, the governor’s budgets have reflected the funds the courts are seeking, said Charles Wheeler, director of the public affairs reporting program at the University of Illinois-Springfield. But this proposed allocation goes against the trend.

Cuts are  also being proposed in other areas even though they run contrary to the law, Wheeler said. The cuts won’t be illegal, Wheeler said, as long as the law is changed to accommodate these cuts.

The clerks plan to rally March 17 at the state capitol to protest the cuts and demand they be restored.

“We are coming to Springfield so the legislators and governor remember us,” said Jansen. “We’re hoping they’ll listen and do their job.”

In the meantime, lawmakers are struggling to pass a new bill that will stand up to future challenges. Illinois is just one of 30 states to have passed a moment of silence law. In Texas and Virginia, those laws were challenged but upheld. But in Illinois, Judge Robert W. Gettleman found the law promoted prayer in schools and was illegal.

Attorneys on Feb. 10 faced off in a packed courtroom, with the state arguing the law is critical because it helps students focus and critics arguing the law crosses the boundary between church and state.

Assistant Illinois Attorney General Rachel Murphy argued on behalf of all school districts in Illinois. Murphy defended the Illinois Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act, which requires that students begin the school day with a silent prayer or reflection on the upcoming activities of the day.

Students are given choices under the law, and now children who were otherwise afraid to pray can do so, said Murphy.

“The law is mandatory so all students have the opportunity to reflect on whatever they wish,” Murphy said.

Robert Sherman, a former radio talk show host and self-proclaimed atheist, sued in October 2007 once the law became mandatory. Sherman’s daughter, Dawn, was a freshman at Buffalo Grove High School, where the moment of silence was in effect for a month before the court granted an injunction preventing schools from participating.

Sherman said his daughter doesn’t need to waste valuable school time when she’s competing with other students to get into college.

“Dawn’s in honors AP and ranks 15 out of 498 students,” said Sherman. “Dawn is told by the general assembly to stand for a moment of silence; it’s not fair to Dawn.”

Students can pray before or after school and the law puts pressure on children to pray during school, argued Sherman’s attorney, Richard Grossman.

“These are impressionable children of a tender age and tend to find teachers to be authoritative and we have teachers encouraging students to pray,” Grossman said.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) argued the law discriminates against students. ACLU attorney Adam Schwartz objected to the word “prayer” being mentioned at all.

“As soon as there’s a prayer option, it encourages students to pray,” said Schwartz. “It sorts all religions into winners and losers and some religious traditions can’t be accommodated by a moment of silence. It’s stigmatizing.”

Teachers in Chicago have refrained from instituting the moment of silence and won’t act until the court decides, said Rosemaria Genova, spokeswoman for the Chicago Teachers Union.

Rep. William Davis (D-East Hazel Crest), who co-sponsored the controversial bill, said while he wanted to ensure a moment of silence was mandatory, the law does not require students to pray. He said students participate in other activities to help them focus on their studies and aren’t targeted in the same way.

“I just saw on the news a teacher doing yoga with students after lunch as a way for the students to focus,” said Davis. “Like that teacher, our sole purpose was to calm students down.”

Davis agreed the more expedient way would be to see what other states have done and mirror their language, but he said he will wait to see what the court decides. The great thing about the legislature is there is always another legislative session to change the law, Davis said.

Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago) introduced an amendment in January 2009 that removed the word “prayer” and replaced it with “silent reflection” and “silent meditation.” Although it passed the House, Fritchey’s chief of staff, Dave Kornecki, said it has been sitting on a shelf because it hit a roadblock in the Senate.

“It’s being held hostage in the Senate,” said Kornecki. “There’s full support in the House, and the intent of Rep. Fritchey is still there to get the bill passed.”

With Illinois’ unemployment rate at a staggering 11 percent, employers can afford to be more selective in whom they hire. But a new bill could give job seekers with bad credit a fighting chance in landing a position.

Rep. Jack Franks (D-Woodstock) has introduced a bill, HB4658, creating the Employee Credit Privacy Act, which would protect applicants who believe they were discriminated against because of their poor credit. Washington and Hawaii have passed similar laws restricting credit checks by employers; a credit check ban approved Monday by the Oregon legislature will go into effect July 1.

While employers say credit information is vital because it is an important part of the screening process, opponents say such information is private and irrelevant to job performance.

Franks said business associations are fighting the bill, but the measure is a necessary step to help job seekers in this failing economy. The need for the bill struck him on a family road trip, he said, when he saw a former growth area littered with foreclosure signs hit hard by the recession.

“I want to protect individuals who through no fault of their own have lost their jobs,” said Franks. “Their credit goes into the tank, and they can’t get another job. It’s a perpetual cycle.”

Franks said that the rights of the business owner should be weighed against the public benefit. As a business owner, Franks said he understands both sides of the issue but doesn’t want to create a permanent underclass.

“Let people have a second chance,” Franks said.

Historically, 28 percent of companies have used credit checks on selected applicants, but over the past year that number has spiked to 47 percent, according to a 2010 survey from the Society for Human Resource Management.

Mike Walters, executive director of the Southwest Illinois Employers Association, said the bill restricts business owners and employers. Employers need to have as much information as they can get in hiring, he said, and the proposed legislation severely limits that ability.

“If an individual contracts someone for a job, they have a right to see if the person they hire has defaulted on payments,” said Walters. “If it’s good for the individual, it should be good for employers.”

Walters questioned how the bill would be enforced and whether employers would take their business out of the state if the bill passed.

“If you have any common business sense, you’d understand this is a bad bill,” said Walters.

University of California-Los Angeles Public Policy Department Chair Michael Stoll said while employers should not discriminate against people with lower credit scores, there are instances when accessing a person’s credit information can be a valuable instrument.

Stoll said employers might try to find ways around the restriction by discriminating against low-income applicants. The bill could have unintended consequences and should be limited in order to be effective, he said.

Mark Denzler, spokesman for the Illinois Manufacturers Association, said he opposes the bill because it restricts the use of an important tool employers use when evaluating job applicants. The law already protects certain individuals who have bad history, said Denzler. Under current law, credit reports can’t disclose bankruptcy cases more than 10 years old, or civil suits and tax liens older than seven years.

Denzler said employers only check a small percentage of applicants because of the credit checks’ cost — $15 per applicant.

“Employers don’t do credit checks on everyone,” Denzler said. “From the time a person applies to a final stage of interviews, there is an opportunity for employees to explain they’ve gone through a rough patch.”

Credit checks serve a more important purpose than simply providing an applicant’s credit history; they verify previous employment and former addresses, Denzler said. Credit checks also protect employers from lawsuits if they fail to properly check an applicant.

“I understand the man or woman who has fallen on hard times, but the employers have a right to vet their applicants,” Denzler said.

State Sen. Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago) introduced SB 2607 on Jan. 21.It would allow offenders who either plead guilty or are found guilty of a non-violent felony the option of probation without having a judgment entered against them as long as  there is an agreement with the prosecution. If they comply with the terms of probation, the charges would be dismissed.

Felonies eligible for probation would include theft, burglary, possession of a stolen vehicle, drug possession and drug dealing.

Rob Baker, spokesman for Illinois Probation and Court Services, said state lawmakers have already passed a law, the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, for first-time offenders who have substance abuse issues. The Act gives offenders charged with simple possession of drugs the opportunity to enter into a “410 or 710 Probation,” whereby the case can be dismissed without a conviction.

This new bill would expand the law, which Baker said could be an issue for prosecutors because the bill doesn’t limit eligible crimes to only drug-related offenses.

Baker said he sees how this could add to probation officer’s caseload, because a greater number of offenders could be eligible for this option. The probation system is already overloaded, he said, and this would add further stress and strain.

There were 33,354 offenders on probation in 2009, according to Illinois Department of Corrections statistics. This number is 7 percent higher than the national average, according to the National Institute of Corrections.

The bill has not been assigned a committee in the Senate, but Raoul’s Chief of Staff Brandon Thorne said it would likely be assigned the week of Feb. 8. Even though no hearing date has yet been scheduled, there is one group willing to testify in support of the measure.

Laura Brookes, director of policy at Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC), said the measure is a good alternative to incarceration because prison is often inappropriate for defendants who have committed non-violent offenses. She said it is also more cost effective than prison and can have a life-changing, positive impact for their clients. TASC is a statewide, non-profit treatment center that has been around for over 30 years and receives many clients from court referrals.

“If they have felony convictions, people can’t get a job and can’t have full citizenship,” Brookes said.

It costs $23,394 to house one inmate for one year, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections; the average cost of treatment as a condition of probation is $4,425 per treatment episode, which varies with each individual’s recovery, said Brookes.

George Williams, spokesman for Treatment Alternatives for Safe Center, said the organization is dedicated to finding ways to keep men and women out of jail while focusing on promoting public safety. He said he applauds Raoul for his efforts in helping defendants earn a second chance and become active members of society.

By allowing offenders to have the charges dismissed and a clean record, Williams said, clients can work to overcome two types of stigma. First, there is the social stigma and challenge to integrate into the community because of rejection they might have to face.

“When a person is convicted of felony, there are all levels of consequences and public rebuke,” said Williams. “But there’s also an internal stigma where you think about the challenges and bear that burden.

“It’s hard to visualize being successful,” he said. “It’s the ex-offender phobia that stops them from attempting to do anything.”

Florida passed a similar law in 2009, but there is an exception that prohibits probation if it’s determined the offender poses a risk to the public.

Jan Leone, chief adult probation officer at the Drug Court in Rock Island County, shared concern that the bill would make defendants charged with drug delivery offenses eligible. While probation would benefit substance abusers, Leone said it wouldn’t help other offenders.

“We would not take these clients into our drug court, as we want ‘users’ not ‘dealers,’” Leone said.

Jennifer Bishop Jenkins, founder of Illinois Victims.org and a candidate for Cook County Commissioner, said she supports diversion programs for non-violent offenders but is concerned that the bill might be too far-reaching in including crimes such as felony burglary.

“The hardest thing is to draw that line between violent and non-violent, and this bill is pushing the line,” said Jenkins.

It is most important that the violent offenders remain in prison and not be released due to lack of resources and space, but the resources for probation officers should be increased, said Jenkins. She also supports sealing records but not expunging them.

“I would want to work with Sen. Raoul on the details,” said Jenkins. “We don’t want to overreach on who we are letting off completely scott-free.”

Saline County prosecutor Jeff Thompson said there will always be a record of a felony charge, so prosecuting re-offenders won’t be as difficult as some might think. The court system might not be relieved of any pressure if the bill passes, Thompson said.

“I do not foresee a great deal of unclogging the court system with this proposed change,” said Thompson. “Any person charged with a criminal offense is entitled to appear in court under the law.”

Thompson said if this bill expands the types of cases heard in drug courts in Illinois, that would be an added benefit. He said in his experience, drug courts work but shouldn’t be seen as a cure-all to the problems plaguing the criminal justice system.

“In my mind, the biggest factor in determining the success of this or any other model is to get the court system to buy into it,” said Thompson. “While options can be available, if the players do not buy into the options, there will be no real change.”

“We’re here to bring awareness to the massive cuts and layoffs,” said Keith Hill, a CTA bus driver for 13 years and union representative. “They’re laying people off at the coldest time of the year. The mayor has no compassion; the governor has no compassion.”

On Monday, Dec. 14 layoff notices for 1,067 union and 30 non-union workers were to be sent, telling workers they’ll be out of a job Feb. 7.

“We’re not happy about the fact that we have to cut service,” said CTA Board Chairman Terry Peterson.

The CTA is facing a $300 million deficit, and Peterson said the cuts are necessary to keep it functioning.

Carlos Acevedo, a union representative and CTA mechanic for 15 years, said the cuts would most hurt underserved communities.

“They’re eliminating a lot of the express routes, and of course, it’s affecting the low-income, minority areas mostly; six express routes cut on the South Side and one on the North Side,” Acevedo said.

Acevedo said these services are vital, and funds are available.

“They’re getting $700 million Jan. 1,” said Acevedo. “They’re sitting on $900 million. They need $320 million to avert all of this, so there are solutions.”

The union has made sacrifices, but the CTA won’t compromise, said Avecedo.

“They’re looking for concessions from the unions,” said Acevedo. “The level of service you have now is off the backs of the workers; the workers almost lost their pension due to concessions they gave.”

But CTA spokeswoman Noelle Gaffney said the unions haven’t made concessions.

“We’ve been meeting with the unions for the last two months,” said Gaffney. “We would be happy not to do the cuts if unions would agree to concessions that would help us.”

Gaffney points to the sacrifices non-union workers have made during the CTA budget crisis.

“Our non-union employees are taking up to 18 unpaid days, including unpaid holidays; they haven’t gotten raises in four years,” said Gaffney. “The unions got raises this year, and they’re getting raises next year. If the unions would agree to take some steps, we would have the necessary monies.”

Roger Smittle, spokesman for the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization, said the cuts are not only affecting low-income communities but violating the Americans with Disabilities Act. He said the disabled and seniors wouldn’t have regular daily bus service on the South Side.

Gary Arnold, a spokesman for the disabled group Access Living, said it targeted certain stations that weren’t accessible to help them get in compliance.

“Two years ago, the CTA bus line became officially 100 percent lift-equipped,” said Arnold. “We would like to see more CTA train stations more accessible but see how this won’t be given attention if there are services cuts.”

Michael Pitula, organizer for the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization, said these cuts would negatively impact Latino and African-American communities. His organization has tried to restore the bus route on 31st Street, which has been out of service for the past 13 years.

“Seven out of the 9 express routes CTA is cutting serve the South Side–predominately African-Americans and Latinos,” said Pitula. “The CTA is opening up a can of rooms here in terms of civil rights.”

Jeannetta Bradshaw, spokeswoman for Seniors Taking Action Together, said seniors, especially those with health issues, would be hurt by these cuts.

“Service cuts to us are devastating,” said Bradshaw. “I think in the areas where seniors take public transportation to go the doctor–these areas should be looked at first.”

If additional funding comes through, the CTA has a plan to rescind the layoff efforts and notify the public that service will be restored, said Gaffney.

“Mass transit is the life and blood of the city,” said Acevedo.

School representatives brought letters of support for Kotz, who’s been under fire for making changes at the school since taking over in 2008. They say some teachers are impeding Kotz’s attempts to improve the school. An article in the October Chicago Teachers Union Journal had Local School Council (LSC) members and teachers up-in-arms.

Gunsaulus, a magnet school located in Brighton Park, has undergone changes in student population and administration. Latinos make up 69 percent of the 709 students, and 16 percent are African-American. During its first 80 years, Gunsaulus had only five principals, but has seen three more since 2003.

The article claimed the principal-staff relationships at the school were abusive. Staff members said they were working under unbearable conditions, and teachers were being forced out by the principal for speaking out against her.

Helene Dubin, a literacy specialist at the school, said she was shocked by what she read.

“Many of us have been silent far too long about the misrepresentation of the atmosphere at the school and especially the portrayal of Principal Amy Kotz,” said Dubin, who is in her second year at Gunsaulus. “I met Ms. Kotz two years ago when she was hired by the LSC and was immediately impressed by her philosophy, education and desire to make Gunsaulus a better place.”

Kotz mandated guided reading programs, an approach where teachers work with smaller groups of students to help them become fluent readers, because they were not being implemented and brought the bilingual and special education programs back into state compliance, Dubin said. Kotz hired a bilingual school clerk this year to assist parents whose first language is Spanish.

Dubin said Kotz encourages teachers to visit other schools, attend conferences and pursue national accreditation. Kotz started the first-ever Family Literacy Night, and another literacy night is set for December.

Dubin said she and other teachers tried to contact the Chicago Teachers Union but received no response.

“The union and our union representative have chosen to ignore our requests to be heard,” Dubin said.

Rosemaria Genova, spokeswoman for Chicago Teachers Union, said they are aware of the situation, and there may have been a lack of communication with school staff. Genova said that union officials met with the principal, staff and Chicago Public Schools (CPS) officials last year and again this fall.

“The Union has been involved in the situation at the very beginning,” said Genova. “The Union has led the charge in getting the matter resolved.”

Jody Esco, Local School Council representative, said they are in the midst of a “season of turmoil,” but stressed the progress made rather than personal differences, which can negatively impact the students.

“We have very excellent stability and relationships, “ said Esco. “We just want to get back to the business of educating our students.”

The principal started Gunsaulus’ first band program, which Esco said helps build the children’s self-esteem. The program is offered to fifth- through eight-grade students.

Esco said she already sees the improvement. She said one student who was not interested in anything now loves playing the instrument and is a different student now.

Luz Amaro, a parent of four Gunsaulus students, who also attended to Oct. 28th Board of Education meeting to show her support for Kotz, said she is upset over the article in the Journal.

“The principal has done nothing but positive things in our school in implementing certain security rules, which have helped the students,” said Amaro.

Kotz, a nationally board certified teacher and Urban Leadership doctoral student at the University of Illinois-Chicago, said some existing programs weren’t helping the children succeed. Kotz was unable to attend the board meeting but agreed to an interview.

Kotz opened an on-site pre-school for children ages 3-5, which she said is “vital to the school community.”

“I’m driven by what’s best for the children,” said Kotz. “I treat children as if they were my own.”

In response to critics’ complaints that Kotz fired 19 teachers without cause and called the police on parents for trespassing, she said the school should be respected and students come first.

“Principals just can’t fire people,” said Kotz. “There is a process. I want children to feel safe.”

Kotz uses her nine years of experience as a classroom teacher, year as a reading specialist and research-based models in leading. Kotz said she promotes high standards and encourages involvement from parents and community members.

“This year we have 20 to 30 parent volunteers,” said Kotz. “This was not the case before. The more children see their parents involved, the more successful we’ll all be.”

The Chicago School Board President, Michael Scott, said that he was aware of the situation at Gunsaulus.

“Real attempts are being made to reconcile the differences between teachers and administration,” said Scott at the board meeting. “The situation is improving, and I applaud your courage.”

CPS officials did not return calls for additional comment.

Everado Mares, chairman of Pasteur’s Local School Council and parent of a sixth-grader there, brought a petition with more than 300 signatures from people pleading for a solution to the overcrowding epidemic.

A school board plan includes a new school at 4707 West Marquette Road for the overflow of students from Pasteur, Lee and Hurley Schools. Space is reserved for 100 Pasteur students, but Local School Council members say this will offer only minimal relief.

Mares said the school board has not involved them in the process nor reached out to them until after they made their final decision. Mares said they were promised to always be included in the plans for a new school, but that has not been the case.

“They haven’t asked what we want or need,” said Mares.

There are currently 1,393 students enrolled at Pasteur, and the total capacity for the school, which includes a modular unit and leased space at St. Camillus, is 1,245. The seventh- and eighth-graders attend the off-campus satellite schools.

Pasteur Elementary is a multi-track school, which runs year-round in an effort to alleviate overcrowding. Pasteur is one of seven multi-track schools in the Chicago Public Schools system.

Latino students comprise almost 90 percent of the student population at Pasteur, and the issue of overcrowding is not new. Mares said that the school should be able to provide the children with better educational tools and technological resources, but they can barely house their students.

The community is struggling economically. Approximately 86 percent of the students are eligible for the free lunch program, which is 10 percent higher than the city’s average.

Mares contended that overcrowding is impacting the students’ education and student scores on the Illinois Standards Achievement Tests.

CPS Board President Michael Scott said that he was not aware of the concerns brought by the parents of Pasteur.

Denise Sullivan, Local School Council member and parent of fourth- and fifth-graders, said parents have contacted Scott, but the school board hasn’t returned their calls. Sullivan lives across the street from the school and does not want her children bused when space can be utilized close to campus.

“The president said this is the first time he’s heard our concerns,” said Sullivan. “Parents have been calling.”

Sullivan said she felt the parents who came up to speak were not well-received by members of the board.

“It seems like they changed their tone when we got up there,” said Sullivan. “It feels like we’re being punished. We are not being heard.”

Christina Gewarges is a parent of a fourth-grader, and her nephew is one of the seventh-graders who is bused to a satellite. Her nephew spends almost two hours every day on the bus commuting to school. Gewarges also said she felt the school board didn’t care and didn’t want to hear what they had to say at Wednesday’s meeting.

Assistant Principal JoAnn Fulanovich said that the overcrowding has been an issue for the last 13 years and a hardship for the parents and the students.

Malon Edwards, a spokesman for Chicago Public School, said that the plans have not yet been presented to the school board, and there would have to be a few community meetings before this matter went forward.

“This is not a done deal,” said Edwards.

For the picketers in the longest strike of the Congress Plaza Hotel’s history, this ordinance could give the workers a strong advantage in their six-year battle. The strike began on June 15, 2003 as a result of wage freezes and employee health insurance cuts.

“Every time the city contract comes up, the city council comes up with bills to support the union,” said Mark Souder, Director of Human Resources at the Congress Plaza Hotel.

Souder would not comment on whether he supports or opposes the proposed ordinance, but he says he does not think anyone from the hotel wants the strike to continue. The hotel met in negotiations with the union, Unite Here Local 1, on Sept. 8, but Souder would not comment on the outcome of the negotiations or whether they see an end in sight.

Peter Andjelkovich, attorney and spokesperson for the Michigan Avenue hotel since the strike began, opposes the proposed legislation and says it is unconstitutional. “When (aldermen) tried to pass the ordinance in 2006, they were advised it was illegal,” Andjelkovich said.

Souder said that the hotel decided to voluntarily notify guests of the on-going strike when it initially began.

“Reservations people were instructed to tell (prospective hotel guests) about it a while ago to save them from complaints and surprises later,” Souder said. “To what degree they follow it, I don’t know.”

On the website for the Congress Plaza Hotel, there is a notice of the strike, but if prospective guests are making hotel reservations through online reservation sites, such as expedia.com and hotels.com, they may be unaware of the strike until they arrive.

Andjelkovich says that the hotel’s initiative to notify guests is clearly within their discretion, but government involvement is a completely different matter.

“This is a government action that is against federal law for a municipality to interfere with a business,” said Andjelkovich.

Andjelkovich says that the proposal is a political move more than anything.

“The aldermen are supporting the unions,” Andjelkovich said.

The effect that the ordinance might have on the hotel’s business may be difficult to predict. Souder said he could not measure how the strike has impacted business considering the economic climate.

“We lost some business initially,” Souder said. “I don’t know to what degree it has hurt it.”

Darren Theriault, a guest at the hotel traveling from Nashville, Tennessee, said that he did not know that there was an ongoing strike when he arrived but would return if his rock band had another show in town.

“When we came, there were picketers outside. They didn’t saying anything to us,” said Theriault. “The room was clean. I would stay here again. It’s a beautiful hotel.”

The Chicago City Council is scheduled to vote on the ordinance at next month’s meeting on Oct. 7. If passed, Andjelkovich said he very well might be the one to challenge the measure in court.