More than a third of America’s 101 historically Black colleges and universities have been targeted by calls or emails threatening to set off bombs on their campuses since early January, with the vast majority arriving during the celebration of Black History Month in February. The threats are being investigated as hate crimes.

Debra ​​Bannack, 62, has been charged with three counts of wire fraud and one count of mail fraud as part of a widespread scheme at Brennemann Elementary, which was allegedly orchestrated by ex-principal Sarah Jackson Abedelal.

In recent years, educators have made extra efforts to encourage children to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. Especially girls. To help with this, the local nonprofit Girls 4 Science is offering a free program called Saturday STEM Academy for girls ages 10 to 18.

The Southwest Side is a mostly residential community with many restaurants and some small businesses. It was hard hit by COVID-19, but today it’s among the areas with high vaccination rates. And it’s home to the now-indicted former house speaker Michael Madigan.

Chicago Public Schools students will have the option of whether to wear masks, starting next week. The district’s mandate was originally maintained under a contract agreement with the Chicago Teachers Union — despite Illinois dropping masks for schools statewide last week. But Monday, the district announced it’s dropping that mandate.

Conservatives have argued that the bill is needed in order to give parents greater oversight over what students learn and discuss at school, stressing that LGBTQ-related topics should be left for families to discuss at home. Opponents, however, have dubbed it the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, arguing the ban it creates would negatively impact an already marginalized community. 

“I don’t anticipate, you know, more serious consequences in terms of work stoppages,” CPS CEO Pedro Martinez said, “but we will continue to work together because we have it in both our best interests to keep our community safe.”

The school district said it will move to a mask-optional model for all staff and across all grade levels on March 14.

From pioneer professional baseball players Roberto Clemente and the White Sox’s Minnie Miñoso to “Queen of Salsa” Celia Cruz, Afro-Latinos have made a significant impact on American history. Our latest community conversation dives into Afro-Latino history in Chicago, while touching on the nuances of multi-racial identities.

Students at Niles West High School in Skokie have led two walkouts in the last two weeks to protest what they call a culture of racism on campus. 

Getting to the why is the theme of the book in the latest installment of our Black Voices Book Club Series. “Hood Healing: Interviews With Some of Chicago’s Most Prolific Voices In Media and Black Culture” unpacks the generational trauma Black people experience and how that impacts communities.

On a mission to make education accessible to everyone, one man started a program that has grown dramatically over the years.

Nonprofit organization Hope Chicago told students at Benito Juarez Community Academy they were recipients of fully-funded scholarships at their choice of 20 colleges, universities, and other education programs across Illinois.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced late Friday students and staff will no longer be required to wear masks in Illinois schools as of Monday, after the Illinois Supreme Court declined to take up his request to overturn an appellate court decision that prompted school districts across Illinois to drop their requirement that students and teachers wear face coverings to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Despite a safety agreement with the Chicago Teachers Union that requires universal masking in schools until the end of the academic year, CPS officials on Wednesday said there may come a time sooner in which masks will not be mandatory.

Last month, there were more than 700 special education students who had still not been routed onto a bus during the current academic year. But as of this week, each one of those children are now receiving their legally mandated transportation from the district.