Obama's in Illinois today

It "not a campaign tour" but Obama's in Illinois today, holding some town hall meetings downstate. But he won't be in Chicago, correctly figuring that the city vote is already in the bag for 2012. And with the T-Party loonies and corporate GOP assaulting him, it would have been near impossible to raise any of our school issues to him directly. 

"It's telling that the Republican Party, which believes corporations are people, would attack the president for meeting with Americans in their communities," said a spokeswoman, referencing a recent quip by GOP front-runner Mitt Romney. -- Crain's Chicago Business

Another reason why we need to build post-march SOS in order to confront both parties on school policy, here in Chicago and nationally. We will hold our first post-march SOS meeting in Chicago on Saturday, August 27th.

Alabama's assault on immigrant students

In Alabama, they are virtually deputizing school bus drivers to identify undocumented immigrant students based on a new state law. But federal law, The McKinney-Vento Act, mandates schools to teach all students, regardless of legal status.

According to immigration attorney, Michael Wildes,

“The law has effectively caused states to deputize school bus drivers as an enforcement measure, because of lack of guidance on immigration. Because of federal inaction on comprehensive immigration reform, states are taking things into their own hands and enacting potentially unconstitutional laws in backlash."

To speak with Michael, please contact Rena Resnick at 212-584-4323.

More victories in Wisconsin. Gov. Walker next?

Both Democratic senators up for recall Tuesday won double-digit victories in spite of millions of right-wing  dollars that flowed into the state to support the Republicans . Sen. Jim Holperin (D) defeated Kim Simac, a tea party organizer, 55 to 45 percent. In the District 22 race, Sen. Bob Wirch (D) defeated Jonathan Steitz, a corporate attorney, 58 percent to 42 percent. The two senators were among the 14 who fled to Illinois to boycott the vote on Gov. Walker's union-busting bill.

Walker is barely hanging on to a one-vote majority in the senate. Now the movement can focus on recalling him next year.

For their part, Democrats claimed they succeeded in creating a Senate that will be less of a rubber stamp for Walker's policies. They also said the closer margin will help to give Democrats their voices back just in time for the 2012 national election cycle. -CSM