Chicago Teachers Union begins 3-day citywide march

CHICAGO — The Chicago Teachers Union is launching a three-day march around the city in protest of Mayor Rahm Emanuel's proposal to close dozens of schools.

It starts Saturday and organizers are billing it as a march for "education justice."

Emanuel is moving ahead with a plan to close 54 schools, which he estimates could help close a $1 billion budget shortfall. Chicago Public Schools officials say the schools are underutilized.

But the plan has been met with fierce opposition from parents, teachers and community leaders. They say the closures unfairly impact minorities, could raise safety issues with students having to cross gang lines to get to their new schools. Two lawsuits have been filed.

The route of the march includes several schools slated for closure along with block party style rallies.