Green fight at North Side school

Why it matters: Leki transformed the North Center school's asphalt yard into an ecological classroom that inspired generations of students and became a model for other schools.

• It includes community and teaching gardens, composting, recycling, and a water diversion area that, by one class estimate, sequesters 120,000 gallons of floodwater a year.

Context: For years, Leki's position as director of the Waters ecology program was privately funded by community group WatersToday and was not an official Chicago Public Schools staff job.

• After Rutkowski proposed new terms, Leki says he "accepted the 30% wage cut and agreed to become a CPS 'miscellaneous employee.'"
• Still, Leki tells Axios he learned in Rutkowski's Wednesday announcement that he was "fired," and says he was "sickened" by it.

The other side: According to CPS officials, Leki declined the school’s offer to become a CPS employee and take a 23% pay cut.

Between the lines: Leki has led many protests to save aspects of the garden, which he communicates through an email group.

• In his announcement, Rutkowski called these a "major barrier in coming to an arrangement."
• So Leki says he interprets his "firing" as a possible "reprisal for my public activism."

What's next: Rutkowski said in his announcement that some aspects of the ecology program will continue in the coming school year.

• But Leki supporters, who have submitted dozens of letters and gathered nearly 500 petition signatures, say they are "heartbroken" and "angry" and still have many questions for CPS.