For the first time in 17 months, Chicago Public Schools students returned to the classroom for full-time, in-person learning Monday. At some schools, the mayor was there to welcome them back.
Stories by Brandis Friedman
‘It Could Happen to Anyone’: Chicago Mother Shares Story of Stepson’s Murder
As journalists, we often work to avoid becoming part of the stories we cover. But sometimes, the story is part of us. Last month, my friend Sonya Anderson’s stepson was shot and killed, just two days before his 19th birthday. We sit down for an intimate conversation about gun violence.
Cemetery Tour Traces 155 Years of History Since the First Juneteenth
From the Civil War to the civil rights movement and everything in between, the lives of these prominent Black Chicagoans are educating others. We visit Oak Woods Cemetery for a lesson.
Cook County Program Helps Recovering Drug Addicts Find a New Lease on Life
Breaking the cycle of drug and alcohol addiction is a challenge made even tougher once the criminal justice system gets involved. A new program is helping those recovering find refuge in their own homes.
CPS, CTU Announce Tentative Agreement to Reopen High Schools
Chicago Public Schools high school students will return to the classroom on Monday if teachers agree to the framework announced Thursday by the district and the Chicago Teachers Union.
Community Groups Offer Remote Learning Support to Families in Need
How neighbors in some Chicago communities are stepping up to help students with remote learning when their parents can’t work from home.
CPS to Bring Back Some Students for In-Person Learning As Soon As Jan. 11
Though Illinois will soon see increased restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, some Chicago Public Schools students and teachers are set to head back to the classroom. The head of CPS and Mayor Lightfoot discuss the plan.
Amid COVID-19 Surge, CPS Timeline for In-Person Learning Unclear
The second quarter for Chicago Public Schools students is underway, and it’s still not clear when teachers and students could return to their physical classrooms. But in some other districts, schools have reopened.
Dr. Anthony Fauci on Current COVID-19 Situation, Vaccine Prospects
Brandis Friedman sits down with Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, to talk about where things stand now with the pandemic and where they’re headed.
Parents React to CPS Plan to Reopen Schools to Some Students Next Month
Chicago Public School parents are having mixed reactions to the district’s new plan to bring some students back into the classroom before the end of the calendar year, just as COVID-19 cases in the city begin to increase again.
CPS To Bring Back Pre-K, Some Special Education Students For In-Person Learning: Sources
Under the district’s plan, pre-K and cluster program students would return for full-day learning, five days a week beginning next quarter.
How Students in Waukegan Juggle High School with Corporate Jobs
The pandemic has upended how we work and how our children attend school. For one school network, Cristo Rey schools, the students attend school and work. Here’s a look at their model — and how it’s changing.
Remote Learning Begins at CPS. Will Virtual Efforts Make the Grade?
Chicago Public Schools students are now back in the classroom — virtually, that is. Students officially began remote learning Monday, but many people argue that nothing can replace time in the classroom.
Spotlight Politics: Officials Fear Judge Shortage Could Make Election Day Difficult
The Chicago Board of Elections is pleading with the public in order to find election judges for Tuesday’s primary. Our politics team takes on that story and more election news in this week’s roundtable.
CPS Teacher’s Assistant Marks 6th Coronavirus Case in Illinois
A Chicago woman in her 50s who works at Chicago Public Schools in the city’s Portage Park neighborhood has tested positive for COVID-19.
City Grades Itself on Implementing Court-Enforced Police Department Overhaul
In a 23-page report filed Friday, the city of Chicago highlights the steps it has taken in the last six months to make progress on implementing a court-ordered consent decree.
Cook County Jail Inmates Develop Plans for Business – and Life
If you needed to build a business, how quickly could you pull together a plan? What if you had to do it without access to the internet? These men did just that – in an atypical setting. Here’s how.
CPS: Watchdog Report Highlights Need for Standardized Test Improvements
Whether or not Chicago Public Schools students are gaming a standardized test system was the topic of debate during Wednesday’s CPS board meeting.
Creator of the 1619 Project Discusses the Legacy of Slavery
This year, the U.S. marks the 400th year since the Pilgrims arrived. But the year before that, a much darker period began with the sailing of the White Lion. We speak with New York Times Magazine journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones about The 1619 Project.
In ‘Keeping Hope Alive,’ Jesse Jackson Reflects on a Lifetime of Speeches, Sermons
A look back at the words of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, whose latest book has been decades in the making.
CPS Attendance Dips on Strike Make-Up Days
Only 62% to 66% of Chicago Public Schools students went to class on Jan. 2 and 3 – days that were originally scheduled to be part of winter break but later converted to attendance days following the 11-day teachers strike.
Pay for Senior Teachers Still Unresolved, Months after CTU Strike Ended
Why the Chicago Teachers Union and the Chicago Board of Education are still at odds over the teacher’s contract.
As State Rethinks Isolation Rooms, Some Parents Express New Concerns
State education officials are in the process of rewriting rules for timeouts and physical restraints for students across the state. But some parents and educators say those new rules are bringing new challenges to light.
Interim Police Superintendent Pick Sounds Alarm Bells for Activists
As former Los Angeles Police Department Chief Charlie Beck prepares to take over the top job at the Chicago Police Department – at least temporarily – his appointment is sparking criticism. What activists have to say.
Dancing Down Memory Lane Before the Curtain Falls on ‘Hamilton’ Chicago
Just over three years ago, Chicago audiences were introduced to the smash hit musical “Hamilton.” We catch up with two original cast members of the Chicago production.
Internal Document Provides Insight into CTU Bargaining
An internal Chicago Teachers Union document obtained by WTTW News shows the union would agree to a five-year contract if the mayor agrees to stop blocking the passage of an elected school board bill in Springfield and “getting back our bargaining rights.”
