EVEN IF THE POLITICIANS AND THE
ACTIVISTS TRY TO CONVINCE YOU
OTHERWISE.
THAT'S THE ANGLE.
THE CHICAGO REPUBLICAN PARTY IS
FILING A LAWSUIT OVER THESE
WALK-OUTS FROM THE CHICAGO
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
TO TELL US WHY IS THE CHAIRMAN
OF THE CHICAGO GOP, CHRIS
CLEVELAND AND ALSO JOINING US IS
G2 BROWN, THE NATIONAL DIRECTOR
FOR THE JUSTIFY FOR JUSTICE
ALLIANCE, ONE OF THE ORGANIZERS
OF THE WALKOUT.
GREAT TO SEE BOTH OF YOU,
GENTLEMEN.
LET'S START WITH YOU, CHRIS.
THE LAWSUIT HAS NOT BEEN FILED
ALTHOUGH YOU DIDN'T FILE A
COMPLAINT.
WHAT IS THE BEEF?
THESE KIDS ARE JUST ORGANICALLY
GETTING TOGETHER AND EXPRESSING
THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT VIEWS.
>> WELL, THAT'S NOT EXACTLY WHAT
THE SITUATION IS THOUGH.
THE NATURE OF OUR COMPLAINT WITH
THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE
IS THE TEACHERS AND THE
ADMINISTRATORS WERE USING
TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO ADVANCE A
POLITICAL AGENDA.
THAT'S NOT JUST DISTASTEFUL,
IT'S NOT IMPROPER, IT'S IMPROPER
AND ILLEGAL.
IT'S CONTRARY TO THE SCHOOL
RULES AND ILLINOIS STATE LAW
THAT SAYS YOU CAN'T WRITE
TAXPAYER CHECKS TO POLITICAL
MOVEMENTS.
IT'S ARGUABLY A VIOLATION OF THE
FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.
THERE'S KIDS COERCED INTO DOING
THIS THAT MIGHT NOT AGREE.
>> I UNDERSTAND THE CHILDREN
THAT DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE PART IN
THE WALK-OUT WERE INSTRUCTED
TO -- THEY COULD GATHER IN A
CLASSROOM.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO HEAR IT OR
GO TO IT.
BUT CLASSES WERE CANCELLED
DURING THIS PERIOD OF THE SCHOOL
DAY.
WHY IS THAT GOOD FOR THE KIDS
TODAY WHO NEED FRANKLY MORE
CLASSROOM TIME AND MORE FOCUS ON
THEIR STUDIES?
>> I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO
REMEMBER THAT ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT EDUCATION HAS TO BE IS
RELEVANT.
SO WE TALK ABOUT WHAT MAKES GOOD
EDUCATION, A CURRICULUM THAT IS
RIGOROUS A CURRICULUM THAT IS
RELEVANT AND ENGAGES YOUNG
PEOPLE THAT IS CREATIVE AND
INSPIRES THEM.
WHEN YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE REAL
WORLD ISSUES ABOUT -- LIKE BEING
AFRAID OF BEING KILLED IN THEIR
NEIGHBORHOOD OR BEING AFRAID OF
BEING KILLED WITH SOMEONE
BRINGING AN AUTOMATIC WEAPON
INTO THEIR SCHOOL, THAT IT IS
NOT ABOUT A PARTISAN ISSUE.
IT'S ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE.
I KNOW THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT I
ENGAGE WITH THAT WERE PASSIONATE
ABOUT LETTING THEIR VOICE BE
HEARD DURING THIS TIME.
THERE'S YOUNG PEOPLE FROM MY
COMMUNITY THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING
ON ISSUES LIKE THIS FOR YEARS.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, HAVE NOT
RECEIVED THE SUPPORT FROM
MAINSTREAM MEDIA THAT YOUNG
PEOPLE FROM PARKLAND RECEIVE.
I KNOW THAT THIS WAS NOT AN
ISSUE OF AT LEAST FROM THE YOUNG
PEOPLE AND THE PEOPLE THAT I'VE
ENGAGED WITH, THIS IS NOT ABOUT
YOUNG PEOPLE BEING PARROTED OR
MANIPULATED BY ADULTS.
THAT'S KIND OF INSULTING.
WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THERE
WAS A TIME WHEN YOU KNOW, YOU
COULDN'T HOST A SHOW LIKE THIS.
A TIME WHEN I COULDN'T SIT ON A
TV CHANNEL LIKE THIS.
IT WAS YOUNG PEOPLE THAT PUSHED
THE ESTABLISHMENT TO SAY THIS IS
WHAT THE MORAL ISSUE OF THE DAY
MUST BE.
WE CANNOT --
>> SO G2, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE
SAYING.
MY CONCERN IS AND MY POINT IN
THE ANGLE WAS, THE IDEA THAT
THIS IS JUST A BUNCH OF STUDENTS
GETTING TOGETHER AND STUDENTS --
TO SOME EXTENT, THERE WERE --
YOU HAVE HEARTFELT VIEWS, I GET
IT.
IT'S NOT ABOUT WHETHER YOU HAVE
THE RIGHT TO PROTEST.
IT'S ABOUT WHETHER SCHOOLS
SHOULD BE USED TO ADVANCE A
POLITICAL AGENDA AND IT IS A
PARENTS AND A LOT OF STUDENTS DO
NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH AND
FEEL EXCLUDED FROM.
I DON'T THINK JITU, YOU PROBABLY
WOULD HAVE BEEN ALL THAT
THRILLED IF THE MARCH WAS AN
ANTI ABORTION MARCH.
THAT STUDENTS WERE ENCOURAGED TO
ATTEND, THINGS SENT AROUND LIKE
THIS E-MAIL FROM AN ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL TEACHER IN CHICAGO
YESTERDAY.
FEEL FREE TO JOIN FROM 10:00 TO
11:00 A.M. FOR A WALKOUT.
YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO
SPREAD THE WORLD TO TELL FAMILY,
FRIENDS AND THE MEDIA.
SARAH FALLER, A LITERARY
TEACHER.
I DON'T THINK IT WAS THAT AGENDA
OR A CONSERVATIVE AGENDA OR A
PRO LIFE AGENDA WOULD HAVE ALL
OF THIS FROM THE MAINSTREAM
MEDIA INTERVIEWING THEM, PUTTING
THEM ON TV.
DO YOU THINK THAT?
>> I WILL SAY IF YOU THOUGHT
THAT I WAS GOING TO COME ON THIS
SHOW AND SAY THAT THIS IS A
REPUBLICAN ISSUE, THEN YOU'RE
MISTAKEN.
I THINK THE ISSUE -- THE FAILURE
TO ADDRESS THE GUN VIOLENCE IN
THE UNITED STATES IS A
BIPARTISAN FAILURE.
IT'S A FAILURE BY DEMOCRATS OR
REPUBLICANS.
SO FOR THOSE WHO STOOD OUTSIDE
WITH YOUNG FEEL TODAY, THE WORK
IS NOT FINISHED.
>> Laura: YOU DIDN'T ANSWER MY
QUESTION, JITU.
I'M NOT EVEN SAYING IT'S A
REPUBLICAN THING.
I'M SAYING IT'S POLITICAL.
IF THIS WERE A MASSIVE PUSH FOR
A PRO LIFE RALLY NATIONWIDE
PUSHED BY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH OR
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT WEREN'T
POLITICAL I DO NOT THINK WOULD
HAVE GROUPS ALIGNED WITH THE
TEACHER'S UNION OR OTHER
ORGANIZATIONS CHEERING THEM ON,
A LOT OF KIDS ARE PRO CHOICE.
WHY WOULD YOU PUSH THAT?
THERE'S BEEN 55 MILLION BABIES
THAT WERE NOT BORN IN THE UNITED
STATES BECAUSE OF THAT MOVEMENT.
THAT'S A LOT OF BLOOD SHED.
I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE
WOULD BE THRILLED ABOUT THAT.
SO CHRIS, YOU WANT TO FILE A
LAWSUIT PERHAPS.
IT DOES SEEM TO BE CONTRARY TO
THE POLICIES THAT I'VE READ IN
THE CHICAGO SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT
NEVERTHELESS, THIS IS A VERY
POPULAR MOVEMENT.
I THINK JITU IS RIGHT.
GUN VIOLENCE IS A BIG PROBLEM IN
CHICAGO.
WE HAVE A LOT OF LIVES LOST AND
A LOT OF DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS,
NOT JUST GRABBING GUNS BUT A LOT
OF DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS BEING
EMBRACED BY STUDENTS.
>> WELL, I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT
IS THE CASE.
WHAT I'M SEEING HERE IS
COERCION.
I'M SEEING THAT THE KIDS ARE
BEING ENCOURAGED TO FILL OUT
THESE POSTERS AND GO OUT AND
PROTEST AND URGE THE CONGRESSMEN
TO VOTE FOR STRONGER GUN LAWS.
THE BUSINESS THEY'RE NOT BEING
COERCED IS ABSURD.
KIDS IN OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL --
I BECAME ATTUNED TO THIS BECAUSE
I RECEIVED AN E-MAIL FROM OUR
PRINCIPAL AT OUR ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL.
KIDS AGES IN GRADES 5-8 WERE
BEING HERDED OUTSIDE TO DO THIS.
YOU HAVE 10, 12-YEAR-OLD KIDS
THAT ARE TOLD IF YOU DON'T WANT
TO DO IT, YOU CAN GO SIT IN A
ROOM BY YOURSELF AND YOUR
FRIENDS WILL BE OUTSIDE DOING
THIS.
THIS IS STRAIGHT-OUT COERCION
AND A LEFT-WING AGENDA.
IT'S CRYSTAL CLEAR THAT IT'S
PAID FOR BY TAXPAYER DOLLARS AND
THIS IS IMPROPER.
>> Laura: JITU?
>> YEAH, I THINK IT'S AN INSULT
TO YOUNG PEOPLE TO SAY THAT IN
ORDER FOR THEM TO RAISE THEIR
VOICE IN A WAY THAT IT'S
PASSIONATE, THAT IT'S CLEAR,
THAT SOMEHOW THEY HAVE TO BE
MANIPULATED BY ADULTS.
I REMIND YOU --
>> COME ON.
>> Laura: THEY'RE KIDS, JITU.
>> WHAT 10-YEAR-OLD KID IS GOING
TO KNOW HOW TO ARGUE THIS AND
UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE?
THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS
ISSUE.
>> SEE, I THINK --
>> SERIOUS.
>> I'M NOT IN EVERY CLASSROOM,
BUT I WILL SAY THIS: THE
OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF YOUNG
PEOPLE THAT YOU SEE SPEAKING
AROUND THE COUNTRY, THE YOUNG
PEOPLE IN CHICAGO WHO WALKED OUT
OF THEIR SCHOOLS AND WENT TO THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE ON A --
>> Laura: AREN'T THEY SUPPOSED
TO BE IN SCHOOL?
AREN'T KIDS SUPPOSED TO BE
GETTING SKILLS TO BE ADULTS
AND -- THERE'S PLENTY OF TIME
FOR POLITICAL ACTIVISM, JITU.
>> NO SCHOOL ARE YOUNG PEOPLE
TOGETHER.
I'M NOT ADVOCATING FOR DAILY
WALK-OUTS?
>> Laura: WHY NOT?
>> WHEN ISSUES ARE CRITICAL AND
YOUNG PEOPLE ARE SCREAMING TO US
WHETHER IT'S THROUGH GUN
VIOLENCE IN THEIR SCHOOLS AND
WE'RE SUFFERING FROM INERTIA,
IT'S NOT OUR PLACE TO SAY
WHETHER THEY'RE CORRECT OR
INCORRECT.
>> Laura: IT'S OUR PLACE AS
ADULTS -- WAIT A SECOND.
ARE YOU SAYING THAT ADULTS DO
NOT HAVE A ROLE IN GUIDING THE
ACTIONS OF YOUNG PEOPLE?
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?
>> I NEVER SAID THAT.
WHAT I SAID IS WHEN ADULTS HAVE
FAILED TO ADDRESS QUALITY OF
LIFE ISSUES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND
YOUNG PEOPLE RAISE THEIR VOICES
UP, IT'S NOT --
>> Laura: THEY CAN DO THAT ANY
TIME THEY WANT.
BUT NOT DURING THE SCHOOL DAY
WHEN OTHER KIDS MIGHT NOT AGREE
WITH THE AGENDA.
>> SO DO YOU THINK THE PEOPLE
THAT WORKED AT WOOLWORTHS LOOKED
IT WHEN WHITE CHILDREN SAT IN
AND SAT ON THE LUNCH COUNTER --
>> Laura: THAT IS NOT A RELEVANT
ISSUE AT ALL.
WE'RE OUT OF TIME.
I GET YOUR POINT.
I CELEBRATE POLITICAL ACTIVISM.
I THINK IT'S AWESOME.
I THINK A LOT OF KIDS WERE
EXCITED AND THEY THINK -- I GET
THAT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT --
>> THAT'S NOT HOW YOU'RE
PRESENTING IT.
>> Laura: NO, NO.
JITU, IT'S A POLITICAL ISSUE.
IT'S BEING PUSHED BY POLITICAL
GROUPS THAT HAVE AN AGENDA.
DEMOCRAT POLITICIANS THAT WANT
TO DRIVE TURNOUT.
THAT'S MY POINT.
NOT ALL POLITICAL ACTIVISM.
THIS IS A SCHOOL DAY.
KIDS HAVE TO LEARN.
A LOT OF KIDS DON'T AGREE WITH
IT.
THAT'S INTOLLERANT TO MAKE ALL
KIDS FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE TO TAKE
PART IN THIS OR THEY'RE NOT --
>> I KNOW YOUNG PEOPLE IN
CHICAGO THAT DID NOT WALK OUT.
NOBODY PRESSURED THEM.
NOBODY CRITICIZED THEM.
>> Laura: IF IT WERE A
CONSERVATIVE ISSUE BEING PUSHED,
A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD CLAIM THEY
WERE EXCLUDED AND THEY FELT LIKE
IT WAS AN INTOLLERANT
ATMOSPHERE.
THAT'S WHY SCHOOLS CAN'T BECOME
POLITICAL.
PEOPLE DISAGREE ON THESE ISSUES.
THEY'RE CONSTITUTIONAL LAWS
INVOLVED.
I WAS 12.
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW, BUT MAYBE A