Layoffs were announced late Friday, but the question is, are more coming?
CPS employs about 600 crossing guards, and close to 90 are getting pink slips. In addition, about 20 guard vacancies are not being filled. It is a cost-cutting move to help close a $730 million shortfall.
"We've seen the district balance its budget on the backs of some of its lowest paid workers, which are support staff. We're hopeful that that's not going to take place moving forward," said SEIU Local 73 Executive VP Stacia Scott Kennedy.
SEIU Local 73 represents the crossings guards as well as special education classroom assistants. In all, CPS laid off 161 employees, with dozens coming from the district's central office. None of the layoffs affected staff assigned to schools.
"Schools don't want to see cuts, especially, especially laying off staff, like right before the new school year starts. That is still a possibility, though, given the size of the budget deficit," said Reema Amin with Chalkbeat Chicago.
Closing a $730 million budget gap falls on the lap of the district's new interim CEO Macquline King. Previously, she worked in Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration.
To avoid classroom cuts, the mayor and the Chicago Teachers Union have been pushing for a high-interest short-term loan. Education experts call it the toughest budget situation CPS has seen in years.
"Major deficit, no signs of like, for sure, revenue coming their way. So, there's going to be, I think there's going to be a lot of hard decisions to be made," Amin said.
They are hard decisions that experts say will likely hit the classroom. Unions have continued to call for more money from the state and more Tax Increment Financing money from the city. Until then, SEIU will fight to keep crossing guards, positions they say are needed.
"I think that's a misnomer to think that just anybody could be a crossing guard," Kennedy said. "Crossing guards are out there in extreme weather. They are standing in Chicago's traffic, and they build relationships with a lot of the community. "
CPS does not have a lot of time. State law requires the district to balance its budget 60 days after the start of its fiscal year, which is July 1. School starts on Aug. 18.