The Chicago Board of Education has approved a plan to carry out the largest mass school closing in U.S. history. On Wednesday, the board voted to close 50 public schools, most of them in Hispanic and African-American neighborhoods. Together they account for close to 10 percent of Chicago’s elementary schools. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has pushed for the closures, citing a $1 billion deficit. Chicago teachers and parents have led a vocal campaign in protest, staging rallies and filing a lawsuit last week accusing the city of discriminating against affected students. In a statement, Chicago Teachers Union head Karen Lewis said: “Closing schools is not an education plan. It is a scorched earth policy.”