DNAinfo Chicago has a story about some Chicago firefighters who are pushing back against a new city hiring initiative that gives preferential treatment to graduates of Chicago Public Schools (CPS).

Firefighters’ union leaders are considering legal action over the city’s new hiring policy, which favors CPS graduates when filling firefighter and police positions. Meanwhile, Mayor Rahm Emanuel is actively promoting a new recruitment drive for the Fire Department, encouraging young people to apply.

The mayor’s office recently highlighted an online application portal for the Fire Department, which is open until September 16. The process requires a $30 fee, and a written exam is scheduled for December. The job posting clearly states that candidates with prior fire or police training, family members of those who died in the line of duty, veterans, and CPS graduates receive hiring preferences.

However, the inclusion of the CPS graduate preference has sparked controversy among some firefighters. Tom Ryan, president of the city’s firefighter union, said that many members are upset by the policy, arguing that all residents should be treated equally regardless of where they went to school.

“Our members feel that being a taxpayer and a citizen should be enough,” Ryan said. “Every child living in Chicago deserves the same opportunity.”

The hiring notice, first posted last week, mentions the CPS Graduate Preference, a policy that Emanuel has often promoted as a way to encourage students to stay in school and earn their diplomas. A spokesperson for the mayor, Kelley Quinn, said the policy helps prepare CPS students for college and careers.

Quinn also pointed out that the city has a policy requiring at least 20% of candidates referred for certain positions to be CPS graduates. But not everyone is on board with this approach.

David Quintavalle, a firefighter union board member, expressed strong opposition on Facebook, stating that many union members were outraged by the policy. He argued that it unfairly disadvantages students from private schools, even though they pay taxes and live in the city.

Quintavalle warned that if the union doesn’t take legal action, members might have to act on their own. “This is discrimination,” he said. “You don’t just have to live here and pay taxes—you have to send your kid to a CPS school to get a leg up. That’s not fair.”

Ryan, however, said the union hasn’t ruled out legal action but remains open to negotiation. With the exam still months away, he suggested things could still change.

Thanks, Dan

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