To: Forrest Claypool, Chicago Public Schools CEO

Save our clerks: Stop CPS cuts!

Chicago Public Schools CEO Forrest Claypool is seeking to eliminate clerk positions from Chicago Public Schools.

More than 80 percent of school clerks are African-American and Latino women who are part of the communities where they work. Firing so many frontline school clerks is unacceptable and will have harmful impact on our schools, our students and their families.

Claypool recently eliminated four days from the school year, which is time teachers need to enter grades, prepare their lessons and plan engaging activities for their students. Now the Board is forcing nearly 200 schools to adopt a computerized system known as Kronos self-service that will result in a drastic reduction of clerk positions throughout the system.

Clerks are vital to school communities through their interaction with parents, the community and the general public. Their ability to run the school payroll, mail and phone functions are indispensable. The loss of clerks will disrupt and harm countless school communities.

Many of the school clerks live in our neighborhoods, and have been a part of their local schools for years. Coming on the heels of the "no confidence" vote from the Chicago Teacher's Union in Claypool's ability to lead our schools, these cuts are another indication to our communities that we should not trust CPS leadership either.

We here at Action Now reject the Board's proposal to remove those clerk positions. Join us in telling Claypool to eliminate Kronos Self-Service, stop the cuts, and save our clerks.!

Why is this important?

Firing so many frontline school clerks is unacceptable and will have harmful impact on our schools, our students and their families.