CHICAGO (WBBM/CNN) - Chance the Rapper led the way as grand marshal of the annual Bud Billiken Parade in the South Side.
Chance, a native of the city’s Chatham neighborhood, donated 30,000 stuffed backpacks for children along the parade route. The parade, now in its 88th year, is a tradition meant to serve as a back-to-school send off.
“This is the best thing they have every year,” said a parent on the route.
Since education is the focus, funding for public schools was on the minds of parade-goers and city leaders.
“Right now we are suffering in a racially discriminatory funding system that it hurts funding in our state,” said Forrest Claypool, Chicago Public Schools CEO,
And while Gov. Bruce Rauner made an appearance before the parade, he did not address the funding issue during the event.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel did address the issue.
“The state of Illinois has the responsibility not to just show at a parade, not just to cheer, but to actively put resources that taxpayers of the city of Chicago give the state and fund our education equitably and fairly,” Emanuel said.
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