>> Chicago public schools are expected to remain open on May first or what's known as May Day.

International Workers Day.

That is after a monthslong public dispute between the Chicago teachers union and members of the CPS board.

The union says teachers and students should be excused from classes to attend demonstrations while the board and CEO Macklin King say students should remain in class.

Joining us, our Jennifer Custer CPS board member representing district one be on Chicago's northwest side.

She's also running for board president in the upcoming election.

And Bridget Doherty treading a 26 year.

Veteran art teacher William Howard Taft, High School and CTU Executive Board member.

Thanks to both for joining Thank So Jennifer has a CBS board member.

You've been very vocal about opposing canceling classes on May 1st, which would allow teachers and students to to attend.

>> This day's demonstrations, why do feel that way?

No, we put out a calendar at the beginning of the school year for parents and they really rely on that.

It's a form of stability.

They know what to expect.

They can plan around it, the Cajuns, cetera, cetera.

And now seemingly potentially 8 days beforehand if the board votes to we could overturn that and change it.

And that that really puts a big burden on our parents and on our families who rely on the stability of a school calendar to plan their lives with their kids.

Bridgette, you feel otherwise you can.

Classes should be canceled.

Some students and teachers can't until we want do so.

You know, May day May first 2026. very important actions taking place around the country in our city internationally branded.

So as you already mentioned, it's May first is international workers day like it's international Labor Day.

So it's significant.

It's significant every year.

>> But in 2026, these are not normal times.

All right.

If you consider the actions of the federal government Iran president the impact on the working people of Chicago and the students in the city city of Chicago.

And so for us, this is, you know, not about.

Making it difficult to adjust the calendar, but we want our students to be able to participate in civic day of action.

And this is something that we've been discussing with CPS for more than the last 8 days.

This was part of our contract negotiations ongoing discussions and we use a union are excited to be able to partner with CPS to make this important day for So CPS, CEO Macklin King reaffirmed last Thursday that schools would be open May first writing, quote.

>> My recommendation to the Chicago Board of Education for weeks and again, during this week's Agenda Review Committee meeting has been to maintain me first as an instructional day for students as a career educator, I believe every minute in the classroom is vital for our students.

But we know that board members could vote to overrule that board.

President Shannon Hardin and others have pushed to cancel classes, leaving some parents and students still wondering, will Chicago public schools have normal classes on May first, what should people expect?

going continue going up.

You know, we somewhat, you know, we we should expect that we've been saying is that it will be a nationwide international day of action >> CTU, again, is very committed to being partners with CPS.

We've even made proposals that we kid just to make the day look a way that works for everyone.

Maybe it's a half-day of attendance.

Maybe it's an afternoon of civic action.

But I would say is a 26 year veteran like we certainly do make adjustments to the calendar.

It isn't moving mountains this week, students high school students were doing a CT testing in PRE a CT testing schedules or adjusted.

Some students were not in attendance.

So that's not uncommon.

excuse me, Jennifer.

>> Yeah, I don't.

I don't know that we know what to expect yet.

you know, Doctor King had the sole authority to make this decision and she could have su so without even consulting the board.

All she had to do is maintain the calendar as it was approved by the board in previous years.

So she could have just said this is what we're doing and this is how we're doing it.

Instead, she did bring it to the board.

And so now there is potentially the possibility that we may see this come up to a board vote and then it would be the board having an agenda item that would alter the 24 of its cues.

Me the 25 26 calendar.

And we don't know exactly what that might look like.

It could be that it is as we kind of had talked about in our closed session, a proposed professional development day for teachers, which would mean it's a student non-instructional day.

And so we don't quite frankly, we're going to have to kind of wait to find out.

We've reached the point where I think calling any kind of special board meeting, which I know she had Dr King had said once already it's kind of a little late for that.

So we are going to have to probably wait until the 23rd and see how this shakes out at the agenda.

>> So is he to you?

You all have your own itinerary which calls for students and teachers to meet at school and then attend the rally at Union Park.

What our members, brother, what are you all telling parents and students at this point who maybe aren't sure whether or not to expect class that day or 2 have to plan for something else.

Yeah.

I mean, just to be clear, it is that there's not a sea to you, Jean de for midday, right?

I mean, we were in coalition with.

>> Hundreds of partners, other units, other unions, community organizations.

But yeah, we've put out a framework of staff members meeting at their schools, right?

That's the way for school communities to come together.

There are different regional events that are happening related to civic action teaches that are happening near school communities.

And then there is a rally and March convening at Union Park at 01:00PM.

All right.

on, that's the framework.

That's the plan.

And it's very similar to remember in 2016 we did a one-day action on April.

1st.

And and the format is very similar to that day.

We similarly better schools, regional actions and convened on one large and do remember that, which would be different, though, because that was a one-day strike at the true.

And this is not a strike exactly.

But as far as life logistics of kind of what how we would envision network got So in a post last week, Jennifer CTU claimed that they negotiated this day of action into the contract with CPS that they've held, quote, countless meetings with CPS.

>> To discuss student preparations and trouble, she challenges now, Dr King has told the board that's not quite the case with regards to the day and how negotiations have worked to land on this particular day.

What is your response to to the union's argument?

Yeah.

So what we were told by DR King and by some other members of CPS leadership is that, yes, this was discussed during negotiations.

However.

>> It was said to see to you that the calendar was already set and it would require that a board vote to overturn that calendar.

And so they were not going to discuss it for the 25 excuse me, 2025.

26 school year.

But it was written into the contract that we could have a mutual day dedicated to professional development day that CTU and CPS agree on and we could organize activities for May first beginning.

The 26 27 school year.

So we didn't quite exactly get the same message that he, too, is claiming there were discussions, but they weren't entertaining.

Those discussions as calendars were already passed by a previous board.

Bridgette, believe that CPS is in violation of the contracts?

Is that accurate?

it ended that you're asking to swap Basically there's a professional development date nearly the end of the school year that you would first to be That would that would be an easy adjustment.

And I cannot stress enough how this is the summer, not in normal times.

>> All right.

Like the urgency of such an action we saw how powerful it was when there was a day of no work, no school, no shopping in Minnesota and like the impact of because again, our families and students are being impacted.

>> were in multiple wars.

Folks are having a hard time paying for gas.

Hopes her having a hard time paying for groceries, rent property taxes like the impact of things that are happening at the federal level are impacting our students.

And our students want to see teachers.

Standing up.

Taking a stand.

>> Jennifer CTU also argues that this is an important moment as we just heard from these times call for increased political activism what do you say to that argument?

>> Saint, I'm you're not going to find an argument with from me.

That May day is an incredibly important day.

I'm a union member.

My husband's union member.

We feel like these are really important values that we teach our kids in our household, too.

However, we're talking about a school district and we need to have a conversation about what is the role of the school district and for me and for many of my board colleagues, the role of the district is to provide children with an education.

And that should be the number one thing that we're focused on.

If we had had conversations about having curriculum or doing activities within the school day with the students.

That sounds great.

But what we're talking about is a major disruption to a lot of students across the entire city.

We're talking about AP Test Prep, a CT Makeups.

We're talking about field trips that are planned all over the city.

We're talking about college decision day, which is huge for a lot of our seniors and this doesn't just disrupt those children.

It disrupts their families.

I've had countless e-mails from people telling me I'd have to take a 0 day.

I'm not going to be able to find childcare for my children.

Please don't vote for this.

I don't know what I'm going to do.

If my child is school that day.

So for us, this is about.

The role of the school district and educating the students that we are tasked, educate.

>> Bridget, some of the items on the curriculum CTU recommends teachers use on May.

First.

One of them to lessen titled Things Donald Trump did this year.

You might have having students create TikTok videos on rising authoritarianism.

Some critics are arguing, though, that this is more about, quote, indoctrinating students rather than educating them informing letting in form their own political views.

How do you respond to that?

teaching of civics is a critical part of our school district in CPS is own mission.

>> We are preparing students for success in civic life.

We have a civics graduation current events, things that are currently happening in world being in service, democracy in action.

That's part of curriculum.

So what have we not taught about actions of presidents?

What's going on in the government.

That's not new.

And we want our students to be well informed where be critical thinkers Jennifer couple seconds So board member who voted against the appointment of Macklin King as CEO.

You've been critical about her over this particular issue saying, quote, >> abdication to the board of her authority has opened the door for Mayor Brandon Johnson and his allies to bring more uncertainty should come to Chicago families that isn't.

You're coming here in Chicago Tribune, what would you like to see differently out of Macklin king in about 20 seconds?

>> I want to see her stand on her own autonomy.

I want to see her make decisions and stand by those decisions.

And I really need to see, you know, my vote was based on feedback from my community.

I want to see her show up and I want to see your show up everywhere and have conversations with stakeholders all across the city and what they're looking for for their children's education.

That's where we'll have to leave it up.

Best you