Chicago Public Schools Students to March for Peace June 5 as City's Violence Escalates

CHICAGO, May 28, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- To protest the escalating gun violence and senseless killings here, schoolchildren are standing up to be a voice for peace. On June 5, middle- and high school students attending Perspectives Charter Schools will lead a peaceful protest against violence taking young lives as another dangerous summer approaches.

Chicago just recorded its most violent Memorial Day weekend in a decade, with 12 fatally shot and at least 43 wounded by gunfire. On June 5, Perspectives' students will be joined by community, corporate, elected and religious leaders, as well as other public school students from Chicago; Evanston, IL; Brentwood and Murfreesboro, TN; and Suwanee, GA. Marches are also planned in Ferguson, MO; Madison, WI; Minneapolis, MN; and Miami, as well as abroad in Haiti, South Africa and Belgium.

Tonight, "I Am for Peace," a documentary that tells the story of three Perspectives' students who organized one of the largest student-ed peace marches in Chicago history last June, will make its public television debut at 8 p.m. (CDT) on Chicago's WTTW. Two-minute trailer:  https://vimeo.com/112532885

The documentary features opening remarks by Chicago-born actress/singer Jennifer Hudson and an interview with U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Perspectives successfully raised more than $35,000 on Kickstarter to finance the film (New Chapter Entertainment, 2014).

Last June, more than 2,000 people turned out for the peace march and rally, where students expressed their hopes for the safe return of all their classmates in the fall. Sadly, one of them didn't make it back – a 16-year-old girl was killed in a drive-by shooting just before the first day of school.

David P. Storch, Chairman and CEO of aerospace and defense contractor AAR CORP., returns to march this year with some 30 employees. AAR is donating the T-shirts the students will wear. Other grand marshals include Tom Wilson, CEO, Allstate; and Mark Aguirre of the NBA Champion Detroit Pistons (1989, 1990), a Chicago native and AAR executive; Rev. James Meeks, Salem Baptist Church; and Rev. Charles Jenkins, Fellowship Chicago church.

 Media contact:  David Terry | [email protected] | 312-604-2142 or Shayla Butler | [email protected] | 312-604-2101.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chicago-public-schools-students-to-march-for-peace-june-5-as-citys-violence-escalates-300090387.html

SOURCE Perspectives Charter Schools

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