CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Italian-Americans and other ethnic groups are calling on the Chicago Board of Education to reverse its decision to eliminate Columbus Day from the school calendar.
Ald. Nicholas Sposato says the board acted illegally because it didn't give public notice or hold hearings before voting last week to remove Columbus Day from the October CPS holiday, which has also been designated Indigenous Peoples Day.
A spokeswoman for the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans says they plan to use every legal means possible to challenge the decision.
Lissa Druss says they observe Indigenous People's Day on the last Monday of September, when the state celebrates it.
Several people gathered for a press conference at City Hall questioned why both holidays can't be honored and accused the board of trying to rewrite history.
Ald. Walter Burnett, who is African-American, said Italians faced discrimination when they first came to the U.S.
“Back then, there were the black people in this nation and were treated bad,” he said.
A representative of the Polish Roman Catholic Union says they're proud of the diversity in Chicago and worry other holidays, like that honoring Casmir Pulaski, could also be eliminated.
Italian-Americans successfully defended changing the name of Balbo Drive in 2018, when supporters of Ida B. Wells renamed a stretch of Congress after the abolitionist and suffragist.