Committee on Human Relations December 13, 2017 City Council
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Suburban Express Inc. (SEI) operates shuttle services from college campuses across the Midwest to both O'Hare and Midway International Airports; and
WHEREAS, on Saturday, December 2, 2017, SEI sent a promotion to their email list titled "Christmas Break Schedule." In this email, SEI stated "[p]assengers like you. You won't feel like you're in China when you're on our bus."; and
WHEREAS, in subsequent communications, branded as apologies, SEI demonized international students instead of issuing a real apology for the first promotional email; and
WHEREAS, media reports regarding SEI lay out a history of irregular treatment of their customers including the use of a public website to shame those accused of nonpayment; and
WHEREAS, Chicago is a Welcoming City to people from all over the world and those values are enshrined in the Chicago Municipal Code in both the Human Rights and Welcoming City Ordinances, among others; and
WHEREAS, any business operating in the City of Chicago must abide by the Chicago Municipal Code and must never act in a discriminatory manner; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Mayor and members of the City Council of the City of Chicago assembled this 13th Day of December, 2017, do hereby request that the Department of Human Relations begin an investigation on Suburban Express for possible violations ofthe Chicago Human Rights Ordinance, and direct the Committee on Human Relations to hold a hearing to discuss possible discriminatory practices by Suburban Express Inc.; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that an invitation be extended to the leadership of Suburban Express Inc. to appear before the committee and provide testimony on this matter.
Ameya Pawar Alderman, 47th Ward