Little Village, one of the biggest Mexican-American neighborhoods in this city, has no public secondary school. Children in the area either have to take the bus to overcrowded public high schools several miles away or attend the private girls-only Catholic high school.

During his 1998-99 reelection campaign, Daley announced that funds would be allocated to build three new high schools in the city and, in response to a campaign by community residents, promised Little Village would be one of them. Since then, two high schools in more affluent neighborhoods have been completed and are operating. In Little Village, the site was purchased, abandoned factories were demolished, but that was all.

On May 13, activists in the community erected tents and began camping on the site. Fifteen members of the Committee in Support of the Construction of the High School in Little Village started a hunger strike.

Every afternoon residents of all ages stream into Camp Chávez in support of the campers and hunger strikers. The size of the camp grows to 100-200 people, with the largest event drawing 500. Meetings turn into rallies and then into honking caravans of placarded cars and trucks and nighttime marches through the neighborhood. People come out of their houses to chant with the marchers. Residents take placards to display in their windows.

On one march, Yolanda García, 20, who attended the local Catholic school, said the school dropout rate in the neighborhood is high. "These kids end up working at McDonald’s or hanging out at the corner. Not everybody wants to attend Catholic school." She added, "We desperately need this public school and we need it now."

At a tent serving as an organizing center in the camp, Tomás Gaete, 65, said the committee was formed when 32 block associations came together in 1999 after it became apparent that the city was not going to follow through on its commitment. Organizers carried out door-to-door visits and a petition campaign speaking to as many families in the school district as possible.

Protesters said delegations from the committee have attempted to hold meetings with representatives of the school board but have received little satisfaction. Linda Sarate said that Chicago Public Schools Chief Executive Officer Paul Vallas sent a representative, Tim Martin, director of school construction, to a meeting on March 22. "It was a slap in the face when Martin told us, ‘What’s the urgency? As soon as you get out of school you start having babies.’"

On May 19, about 30 youth active in the committee attended the annual Parents’ Association meeting at Lane Tech High School. As Daley was addressing the audience, the youth unfurled a banner reading, "Where is Our High School" and chanted "Daley, Vallas, keep your promise." Security guards quickly forced the students to take down the banner. The students then raised their placards and marched out of the building keeping up their chants.

"I was happy and proud when we came out of Lane Tech because I knew people had heard us and they knew what we were fighting for," said Andrea Guzmán, 17. "Through this struggle, we are learning about our own strength."

"There’s a 1,000 percent increase in the confidence of the young people who join us in this fight," said Samuel García, 17, who like Guzmán is a hunger striker. We are the younger generation--we have to take responsibility for this fight and every minute counts."  
 
 
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