Chance The Rapper Frustrated Over Rauner Sit-Down: 'He Gave Me A Lot Of Vague Answers'

CHICAGO, IL — Chance The Rapper left his meeting with Gov. Bruce Rauner on Friday frustrated with the "vague answers" the Illinois governor gave him about solutions for financially strapped Chicago Public Schools.

As he exited the James R. Thompson Center, the South Side native urged the media to "do your jobs" and give a comprehensive history of how the district ended up scrambling to cut costs this year through forced furlough days and by possibly shortening the school year.

"He gave me a lot of vague answers," he said when asked what Rauner said during their 40-minute meeting Friday, March 3.

But Chance later vowed that the fight to help the city's schools and students had just begun, and he said he would have more details about what his future steps would be next week, the Grammy Award-winning hip-hip artist wrote in his Twitter feed Friday afternoon.

Rauner, however, sounded more upbeat about their meeting to talk about "education and education funding."

RELATED: CPS Could End School Year June 1 If State Doesn't Pay Up

"Good exchange of views on what the options are, what the possibilities are," he told the Chicago Tribune, adding that he shared Chance's passion for "getting quickly more mone for CPS right now."

Both said they were open to contacting each other directly going forward, and Rauner said he would be willing to work over the weekend with Chance to hash out ideas for city schools, the Tribune reports.

Already in treacherous money straits at the start of the school year, CPS and board of education officials have been searching for ways to make up for a $215 million shortfall in state funding after Rauner vetoed an education bill in December. The governor claimed at the time he shot down the bill on the grounds it didn't include pension reforms.

RELATED: CPS Workers Forced To Take 4 Unpaid Furlough Days To Save District Money

So far, the school system has bled its reserves dry and exhausted its short-term borrowing options to cover expenses. Now, they are entertaining — and acting on — more severe cost-cutting measures.

For instance, all CPS employees have been forced to take four unpaid furlough days for the rest of the school year, a move that hopes to save the school system $35 million. On Monday, CPS leaders officially put on the table shortening the school year — moving up the last day of classes to June 1 from June 20 — if the state doesn't come through with its promised funding.

The threat of a truncated school year came on the heels of a lawsuit filed by CPS and five district families against the State of Illinois that claims the state education funding system is "seperate and unequal" and violates the Illinois Civil Rights Act.

RELATED: CPS Sues State Of Illinois Over Illegal, Discriminatory School Funding

"Unless the Governor restores his $215 million cut, we face even more painful choices before the year is done," a CPS statement said at the time of the lawsuit's filing last week. "That’s why CPS families are taking the State to court, and why we need you to stand with them and make your voices heard."

The rapper reached out to Rauner to discuss the state of Chicago schools after the governor congratulated Chance online on winning three Grammys last month. The two originally were to meet Wednesday, but Rauner needed to reschedule to Friday.

Chance The Rapper performs at a pre-Grammy Awards gala Feb. 11 at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles. (photo by Kevork Djansezian | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images)

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