Recent photos from the former Crispus Attucks Elementary School reveal a deteriorated building with litter and gang graffiti. Closed in 2008, the Bronzeville campus, at 3813 South Dearborn Street, sits empty.

In a statement, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) called the vacant building a “center of illegal drug transactions and vagrant activity.”

“Instead of a vibrant, community learning center, CPS has created an eyesore and safety hazard in Bronzeville,” the statement reads.

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is on the verge of another wave of school closures, as chief executive officer, Barbara Byrd-Bennett, has until March 31 to announce a final list of school actions. A list of 129 schools that face closure was released last month, and the Commission on School Utilization, a committee charged with helping Byrd-Bennett evaluate which schools to close, issued their final recommendations yesterday. Among other things, the commission recommended CPS close or consolidate a maximum of 80 schools this year.

In a statement following the commission’s final recommendations, CTU President Karen Lewis said, “Given CPS’ history, there is no way it has the capacity to shut down 13 percent of our entire school district without mass chaos.”

Images: Photos taken March 7, 2013 by Nathan Goldbaum, Chicago Teachers Union