Per the Chicago Public Schools' website:
The Chicago Public Schools has launched the Safe Passage program to increase children’s safety as they come and go each day. This section offers helpful tips to parents and children to keep students safe on their way to and from school, in their homes, in their neighborhoods before and after school, and throughout the school day.These measures were expanded after Mayor Emanuel authorized the shutdown of 50 public schools, largest school consolidation in American history. The new paths kids take to school often cross gang territory lines. Chicago is city where being "in a gang" can be as simple as living on a certain block. Check out This American Life's two part episode covering a South Side Chicago high school.
The day before school started, we put up three pieces on Ashland, along the Safe Passage route from the shuttered Trumbull Elementary School as part of our own #SafePassageProject. This is one of them. The next will be up here in the next few days.