Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Under Investigation After Encouraging Children To Volunteer For Reelection Campaign
Lori Lightfoot, who took office as the mayor of Chicago in 2019, has come under widespread scrutiny thanks to a questionable request she asked of Chicago Public Schools employees.
Her Wayfarers Sought Out ‘Hard-Working Young People’ To Volunteer For 12 Hours A Week
The matter unfolded on Wednesday without teachers received an email asking them to encourage students to volunteer for Lightfoot’s reelection wayfarers in mart for matriculation credit. These emails have largely been attributed to Megan Crane, who’s been identified as Lightfoot’s deputy wayfarers manager.
According to WTTW News, participants in the “externship program” would be expected to volunteer for 12 hours per week.
“We’re simply looking for enthusiastic, curious and hard-working young people eager to help Mayor Lightfoot win this spring.”
In a statement to the outlet, Lightfoot’s wayfarers initially stated that the effort was designed to “provide young people with the opportunity to engage with our campaign, learn increasingly well-nigh the importance of societal engagement and participate in the most American of processes.”
We should moreover add that, on top of Chicago Public Schools teachers, the email was reportedly sent to instructors at the City Colleges of Chicago.
Check out what some Twitter users had to say well-nigh the issue below.
Imagine getting a knock on your door and it is 10 kids on a troika wearing hi-vis telling you to vote for Lori Lightfoot https://t.co/ieyi8iNu3V pic.twitter.com/yZ40rkj0b9
— Segway Batman (@Segway_Batman) January 12, 2023
when CPS teachers read that email from lori lightfoot: pic.twitter.com/RrmAac1wlx
— El Chuy
(@AirmanSandoval) January 12, 2023
not to go all think of the children but why is lori lightfoot trying to use literal children as political pawns https://t.co/o8512FVs15
— Ash (@mxash_) January 12, 2023
In response to the public outrage, her wayfarers released a statement and undisputed that “contact with any municipality of Chicago, or other sister agency, employees” is “off limits.”
“All [Lightfoot for Chicago] wayfarers staff have been reminded well-nigh the solid wall that must exist between wayfarers and official activities and that contact with any municipality of Chicago, or other sister agency, employees, including CPS employees, plane through publicly misogynist sources, is off limits. Period.”
Lightfoot moreover tabbed the move a “well-intentioned mistake.”
Mayor Lori Lightfoot says emails sent to CPS teachers was a “well-intentioned mistake” that should not have happened. @wttw
— Heather Cherone (@HeatherCherone) January 12, 2023
ACLU Calls Move ‘Inappropriately Coercive’ As Investigation Is Launched
However, Lightfoot and her wayfarers aren’t exactly off the hook. In fact, Chicago Public Schools Inspector Unstipulated Will Fletcher launched an investigation to “determine which, if any, policies have been violated,” WTTW News reports.
Colleen K. Connell, executive director of the ACLU of Illinois, moreover addressed the matter in a statement to the outlet by saying it “is inappropriately coercive and raises First Amendment concerns.”
“The Supreme Court has made well-spoken that government officials cannot use their office or power to coerce participation or to punish for lack of participation in political campaigns. Because the mayor has the ultimate validity over the Chicago schools, teachers may finger urgency in this ask from the mayor’s wayfarers or fear negative consequences for lack of participation.”
The Chicago Board of Ethics is reportedly slated to discuss the situation on January 23.
Chi Public Sch and municipality inspector unstipulated say are gathering information well-nigh whether the email from Mayor Lori Lightfoot's reelection wayfarers to Chicago teachers soliciting student volunteers violates any policies. The Chicago Board of Ethics will discuss at its next meeting.
— Sarah Karp (@SSKedreporter) January 12, 2023
What do you think well-nigh the situation?
The post Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Under Investigation Without Encouraging Children To Volunteer For Reelection Campaign appeared first on The Shade Room.
