As parents pushing a community-backed proposal for the former Dyett High School entered their eighth day of a hunger strike, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten announced she’ll lend her support to the cause Wednesday. 
 
 “I’ll be in Chicago on Wednesday to stand w/ #FightForDyett, help raise up their story. Chicago communities deserve better than more closures,” Weingarten tweeted Monday. 
 
 Members of the Coalition to Revitalize Dyett High School have lobbied for years on behalf of the neighborhood school, without success. After Dyett’s final class of 13 seniors graduated in June, Chicago Public Schools asked for other proposals without considering the coalition plan, which ultimately led to this month’s hunger strike. 
 
 On Monday, the hunger-striking coalition also sent a letter to Little Black Pearl, a not-for-profit organization that has submitted a proposal for Dyett’s future use. 
 
 “On behalf of the Coalition to Revitalize Dyett, we respectfully urge you to withdraw your proposal for Dyett High School,” the letter reads. “The Coalition has worked hard over the past 3 years to build a community process where input and collaboration was utilized to create the Dyett Global Leadership and Green Technology academic plan. It reflects the vision of a broad cross-section of the community.” 
 
 A representative from Little Black Pearl could not be reached for comment Monday evening. ||||| Dyett High School protesters acknowledge honks of support from passing drivers Monday outside the Little Black Pearl Art and Design Academy. View Full Caption DNAinfo/Ted Cox 
 
 BRONZEVILLE — The Dyett High School hunger strikers took their protests into a second week Monday by asking the Little Black Pearl Art and Design Academy to withdraw its competing proposal for the school. 
 
 "We're united. We're strong. You know, we're feeling the effects of it," said Jitu Brown, who has led the protests demanding the Board of Education accept a community proposal to turn Dyett into a Global Leadership and Green Technology High School, the one plan of the three on the table they think will ensure the new school most closely resembles Dyett. 
 
 "I'm tired," said fellow hunger striker Jeanette Ramann. "It's eight days." 
 
 The dozen Dyett hunger strikers, who began their fast last Monday, took their protests to the Little Black Pearl Art and Design Academy, 1060 E. 47th St., on Monday to call on the agency to withdraw its competing proposal to replace Dyett. 
 
 "While my stomach is empty, my heart is full," says Dyett High School hunger striker Jeanette Ramann. View Full Caption DNAinfo/Ted Cox 
 
 Brown said only 5 percent of Little Black Pearl students met or exceeded state standards last school year. "In what sane society do they actually get a school?" Brown said. 
 
 Chicago Public Schools announced earlier this month that it would put off a decision on which of three proposals to accept until September, prompting the Dyett hunger strike. In addition to the Little Black Pearl arts academy proposal and the protesters' Global Leadership and Green Technology proposal, there is also an 11th-hour proposal from Dyett Principal Charles Campbell to convert the school into a sports-oriented academic high school. 
 
 "We have no plans to withdraw that proposal," said Monica Haslip, founder and director of Little Black Pearl. "We have every right to apply. 
 
 "If we're selected, we're going to bring forth everything we can to provide a great opportunity to children in that school, and if we're not selected we're going to support whoever is selected," Haslip added. "We have no intention to give in to this public battle with another community-based organization, because I don't believe that's productive for any of us." 
 
 The community-oriented Coalition to Revitalize Dyett High School has been pushing for two years for CPS to endorse its plan for a Global Leadership and Green Technology High School, created in conjunction with education experts at the University of Illinois at Chicago. They felt first they were ignored by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Ald. Will Burns (5th), then by CPS when it put out a request for proposals for Dyett earlier this year. 
 
 The coalition submitted its plan as part of the RFP process, but feels the other proposals were latecomers and ultimately inferior. 
 
 Dyett was slated to be phased out after graduating its last class of 13 students this year, but CPS now plans to reopen it next year under a format yet to be determined. 
 
 "Either we're gonna have it or we're not. And we're gonna have it," Brown said Monday. 
 
 "Little Black Pearl, Rahm Emanuel and Will Burns need to do what's morally right," Ramann said, calling for them to "give this community this school." 
 
 Ramann blamed racism for the resistance to the leadership proposal, adding, "While my stomach is empty, my heart is full," from the support, both local and national, that the hunger strikers have received. 
 
 "We have to starve ourselves to have our voices heard," Brown said. 
 
 Jawanza Malone, executive director of the Kenwood Oakland Community Organization, reported that the hunger strikers were "fatigued," but determined to prevail. 
 
 "We're undeterred," Brown said. "We'll be here until we get this school." 
 
 Civil-rights leader Jesse Jackson and Chicago Teachers Union Vice President Jesse Sharkey joined the hunger strike last week, but were not at the Little Black Pearl protest. 
 
 Brown is calling for supporters to join a one-day "solidarity" hunger strike Tuesday ahead of Wednesday's Board of Education meeting, where they're expected to continue their protests. 
 
 For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
– Protesters in Chicago say they haven't eaten in eight days and will continue their hunger strike until a proposal to turn a former high school into a new "green tech" school is accepted. For years, members of the Coalition to Revitalize Dyett High School have fought to preserve the school, which was to close after its last class of 13 students graduated in June, before Chicago Public Schools decided to open it under a new name. Pairing with education experts at the University of Illinois, the coalition has now proposed turning it into the Dyett Global Leadership and Green Technology High School, reports DNAinfo. But that's only one of three ideas on the table: Not-for-profit group Little Black Pearl hopes to turn the school into an art and design academy, while a principal brought in to phase out Dyett wants to see an athletic school. CPS says it will make a decision in September. The Chicago Sun-Times reports protesters have asked Little Black Pearl to withdraw its proposal, noting just 5% of the organization's students met or exceeded state standards last school year. "In what sane society do they actually get a school?" asks protest leader Jitu Brown. Yet Little Black Pearl's founder has refused to pull out. "If we're selected, we're going to bring forth everything we can to provide a great opportunity to children in that school, and if we're not selected we're going to support whoever is selected," she says. Protesters argue racism is alive and well in the debate, noting CPS leaders initially ignored the coalition's proposal while calling for additional, inferior plans. Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson joined the hunger strike last week. "We have to starve ourselves to have our voices heard," but "we're undeterred," Brown says. "We'll be here until we get this school." (Chicago has closed many more schools, too.)