Chicago Public Schools declare May 1 a 'day of civil action' for students

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) have declared May 1 a 'day of civil action' for students, allowing optional participation in civic events despite it being a full instructional day. CPS permits schools to organize civil engagement activities under existing policies, while CTU and Mayor Brandon Johnson frame the initiative as a defense of public education and workers' rights. Critics, including the Washington Post, have raised concerns about the union's focus on social justice initiatives.