O'Shea Calls CPS Decision To Cut Crossing Guards 'Reckless' And 'Dangerous'

CHICAGO — Chicago Public Schools plans to eliminate crossing guard service at 33 intersections throughout Chicago, including eleven in the 19th Ward. Crossing guards were among the 161 central office employees, first reported by Chicago Chalkbeat.

The layoffs included 87 people represented by SEIU Local 73 — nearly all of whom were crossing guards — plus 67 employees in the district’s central and network offices, and seven people represented by the Chicago Teachers Union, CPS told Chalkbeat.

The affected 19th Ward locations include:

10100 S. Longwood Dr.
10130 S. Longwood Dr.
10300 S. Washtenaw Ave.
10300 S. Sacramento Ave.
10300 S. St. Louis Ave.
10700 S. Pulaski Rd.
11000 S. Homan Ave.
11100 S. Homan Ave.
11100 S. Campbell Ave.
11300 S. Rockwell St.
11800 S. Western Ave.

Crossing guards are assigned to streets and intersections for public and private schools, according to Chalkbeat.

In a blistering email to 19th Ward residents, Ald. Matt O’Shea blasted CPS for making its decision without input or feedback from elected officials, school leaders, or parents just weeks before the start of the 2025-2026 school year.

“Unfortunately, CPS does have the legal authority to implement this change without approval of the City Council or individual Aldermen,” O’Shea said. “As a parent, I know exactly how critical crossing guards are to the overall safety of a school community. I strongly oppose this move and stand ready to work with CPS leadership on creative ideas to ensure all students can safely travel to and from school.”

O’Shea said since learning of the issue earlier this week, he has been in contact with Therese Boyle, the community’s elected representative on the Chicago Board of Education.

“She shares my concerns about student safety and strongly opposes this action by CPS,” O’Shea said. “I will work with Therese and other stakeholders to oppose this dangerous action on behalf of our students and families.”

O’Shea called CPS’s “willingness to jeopardize student safety deeply troubling for a modest budget savings, “the concentration of service reductions in our community equally problematic.”

“In a city with 50 wards, it is inherently unfair and unsafe to target one community for a third of all cuts throughout the city,” the alderman said. “That is why in addition to opposing this reckless, dangerous decision made by CPS, I have also asked the Inspector General to investigate this process and the way locations were selected.

“I appreciate the strong support that so many parents throughout our community have shown for our crossing guards. Moving forward, I will continue to advocate on behalf of our students and work with other elected officials, parents, and education stakeholders to push back on this dangerous plan.”