The Occupy Wall Street movement and its spinoffs around the country have sparked plenty of chatter, even some related to early childhood. Last week, syndicated columnist Nicholas Kristof argued that the biggest policy step to relieve structural inequity would be to get to the roots of the school achievement gap by expanding-early childhood education.
Some in Chicago see expanding early education as an opportunity to reduce inequality by providing more jobs in neighborhoods that need them most. On Oct. 10, a group of veteran labor and community organizers calling themselves Stand Up Chicago joined forced with the Occupy Chicago movement for a large march calling for more jobs, better schools, and foreclosure relief.
Stand Up Chicago has lent its support to a plan for the city to levy a 25-cent tax on each trade conducted at the Chicago Board of Trade and Chicago Mercantile Options Exchange and use the funds for job creation, including building a Child Care Corps of early-care providers.