Chicago parents have threatened to sue after Chicago Public Schools (CPS and the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) cut a deal to allow teachers and students to skip school on May 1 to join a May Day Rally.
Mayor Brandon Johnson pushed for all residents “to use May 1 as an opportunity to elevate the consciousness of our civic responsibility.”
Teacher and CTU board member Sylvia Pittman insisted CTU has “developed curriculum for our students all the way from pre-K through high school.”
Well, the answers have not satisfied the parents:
“They did this without the consent or the input of the parents. This is not only wrong, it is irresponsible or perhaps illegal,” CPS parent Judy Velez said.—“We are here to demand an end to the political indoctrination of our children at the hands of CTU and CPS,” Velez said.
The parents hired attorney Bill Quinlan to demand more clarity on the decision.
“Children can make the choice with their parents to take an absence for civic action,” said Quinlan. “Again, those are choices that parents make with respect to their children, and I don’t think anyone’s disputing that. The question is when those choices get made for them, right? And what choice is it?”
CTU attempted to clarify its motivations, saying “May 1 is a full day of instruction,” but “School participation in any civic engagement activities is at the discretion of the school principal and individual student or staff participation is entirely voluntary.”
Illinois allows students in grades 6-12 “to attend a civic engagement event” and receive an excused absence.
The students must have parental permission.
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