Good afternoon, Chicago.
Despite having put five of her kids in Chicago Public Schools, Blaire Flowers said once her eldest daughter graduates high school, she may have to make the difficult decision of moving her children to a school district in the suburbs.
“It’s not worth the fight,” Flowers said. “My son is missing out on too much. You want me to sit here and wait while (teachers) scream and holler about wanting more money, and I’m still not getting the basic services my son should be getting from CPS.”
Following months of turmoil that has consumed the district, some parents say they have had enough of the constant battling between the three groups leading the public school system. With district CEO Pedro Martinez’s firing in December, upheaval on the school board, and a four-year Chicago Teachers Union contract in its ninth month of negotiations, some parents say their students have become an afterthought.
Here’s what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.
Subscribe to more newsletters | Puzzles & Games | Daily horoscope | Asking Eric
Aldermen blast Cultural Center display as antisemitic, call on Mayor Brandon Johnson to remove it
A majority of the City Council signed a letter to Mayor Brandon Johnson today condemning a puppet display at the Chicago Cultural Center as antisemitic and calling on the city to take it down. Read more here.
More top news stories:
- Closing arguments in landmark trial of ex-Speaker Michael Madigan starting Wednesday
- Thornton Township residents rebuke Supervisor Tiffany Henyard, choose Stephanie Wiedeman as trustee
Canada, Illinois share strong ties; tariffs could test that relationship
The ties between Canada and Illinois are particularly strong. Canada sells more to Illinois than it sells to China, its largest foreign export market after the U.S., according to a 2024 fact sheet by the Canadian embassy in Washington. Read more here.
More top business stories:
- Chicago Public Media offering buyouts to Sun-Times editorial staffers, WBEZ business employees
- Stellantis will build pickup truck at reopened Illinois plant, executive tells employees
True or false? Hiring Ben Johnson is an unquestioned home run for the Chicago Bears.
The news of Ben Johnson’s arrival was greeted with excitement from many Chicago Bears fans — plus a bit of understandable skepticism from others. Read more here.
More top sports stories:
- Ben Johnson is the 19th head coach of the Chicago Bears. Here’s a look at how past coaches fared — and when they left the franchise.
- Dominican University softball field deal in River Forest unlikely ‘anytime soon’
Column: This movie with Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy anticipated anxieties about the internet and AI
The 1957 romantic comedy “Desk Set” stars Katharine Hepburn as the head of research at a TV network. But the department’s future is threatened by a new technology in the form of a massive room-size IBM computer. Read more here.
More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories:
- 6 Chicago Restaurant Week 2025 menus we can’t wait to try
- Column: New Chicago country artist Orillia will play Color Club as part of mini tour
Pentagon to send up to 1,500 active duty troops to help secure US-Mexico border, officials say
The Pentagon will begin deploying as many as 1,500 active duty troops to help secure the southern border in the coming days, U.S. officials said today, putting in motion plans President Donald Trump laid out in executive orders shortly after he took office to crack down on immigration. Read more here.
More top stories from around the world: