Good afternoon, Chicago. ✶
And happy Friday!
In today’s newsletter, we’re looking into how Mayor Brandon Johnson, a former teacher and Chicago Teachers Union organizer, is reshaping the city’s public schools.
Plus, we’ve got reporting on a Paycheck Protection Program fraud twist, a Lunar New Year kickoff celebration and much more in our brief rundown. 👇
Like a crab on the L, this ride will be over in a pinch. 🦀
⏱️: A 7-minute read
— Matt Moore, newsletter reporter (@MattKenMoore)
TODAY’S TOP STORY
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s sprint to remake Chicago’s public schools
Reporting by Nader Issa and Sarah Karp | WBEZ
Potential for change: A time-worn phrase has dominated Chicago’s education scene for the last decade — “fully fund neighborhood schools.” Yet it hasn’t translated into policy. Former Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis said it in her fiery speeches. Parents shouted it when they fought the closure of an unprecedented 50 Chicago public schools. Community groups chant it when schools face budget cuts. Now, Mayor Brandon Johnson represents the progressive education movement’s first chance at following through on those demands.
Challenges ahead: It won’t be an easy task. Chicago Public Schools has a nearly $400 million structural deficit. There’s opposition from those who support Chicago’s system of school choice, where 70% of kids go to a high school other than the one in their neighborhood. And come January the city’s first elected school board — which Johnson and the CTU lobbied to create — will take control of the public schools, distancing the mayor from influence.
A pivotal year: Johnson has already faced difficulty pursuing other progressive priorities, given Chicago’s migrant crisis and its costs, leaving schools as a key area where he can build his legacy. That makes this a pivotal year for Johnson’s plan to remake CPS.
Mayor’s impact so far: He already approved plans for the removal of police officers next year from 39 schools that still have them. The Board of Education is also rethinking how money is distributed to schools and has declared a shift away from prioritizing school choice. And while Johnson has promised not to close charter, selective-enrollment or magnet schools, his board is holding publicly funded but privately managed charters more accountable and scrutinizing how admissions and funding policies affect accessibility.
WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?
- PPP fraud twist: Recorded conversations show dozens of Cook County Jail inmates schemed to loot the federal Paycheck Protection Program and other government COVID-19 relief programs at the start of the pandemic, according to documents obtained by the Sun-Times.
- IRS placed lien on county judge: Six months ago, the IRS filed a lien against a Cook County judge and her husband, seeking to collect income taxes dating to 2018, the year she was reelected. The unpaid taxes for Circuit Judge Maura Slattery Boyle and her husband William Boyle reportedly topped $114,000.
- New programs target food access: The Good Food Fund and Food Business Incubator Program both launched Thursday, with $7 million to support businesses in the food industry, as part of Mayor Johnson’s plans to increase food access.
- ComEd’s EV incentive: ComEd is offering $57 million in rebates to encourage businesses and local governments in Northern Illinois to buy electric vehicles, a program aimed at reducing harmful air pollution and greenhouse gases that contribute to the climate crisis.
- Beloved blues bar owner remembered: Ken Zimmerman, owner of Harlem Avenue Lounge, was known for his quick wit, wide breadth of knowledge and habit of assigning everyone a nickname or calling them “kid.” He died Feb. 2 at age 69.
- 3.5 stars for ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’: Larry, Jeff, Susie, Leon and a fresh batch of self-parodying guest stars bring HBO’s legendary comedy to a close — remaining as borderline offensive, edgy and hilarious as ever, writes Sun-Times critic Richard Roeper.
WEEKEND PLANS 🎉
🪕 Folk Festival
Friday and Saturday
📍Mandel Hall at University of Chicago, 1131 E. 57th St.
Back for its 64th iteration, this festival showcases a wide range of folk music, including blues, klezmer, Arabic, Irish and bluegrass.
Admission: $30
🎺 Bronzeville Nola
Saturday, 7 p.m.
Mount Pisgah Ballroom, 4622 S. Martin Luther King Drive
Enjoy this Fat Tuesday ballroom experience, complete with a brass band and more.
Admission: $100+
🌱 The Orchid Show of Wonders
Saturday through March 24, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
📍Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe
A circus and carnival theme serve as the backdrop for more than 10,000 fresh, vibrant blooms.
Admission: $21
☕ Fika Fest
Through Sunday
📍Andersonville business district on North Clark Street
This Swedish-inspired celebration features a weekend of events, including a coffee and hot cocoa crawl, a puzzle exchange and more.
Admission: Varies by business
🐶 Puppy Bowl Viewing Party
Sunday 12-4 p.m.
📍Cody’s Public House, 1658 W. Barry Ave.
Featuring food, raffles, contests, themed cocktails, a dog costume contest, portraits (“pawtraits”) and more, this dog-friendly event helps to raise money for Chicago Canine Rescue. A Super Bowl viewing party will follow.
Admission: Free
BRIGHT ONE ✨
Chinese traditions kept alive at annual CPS Lunar New Year performance
Reporting by David Struett
Ahead of Lunar New Year this weekend, students at one South Side school carried on a tradition of showcasing Chinese folk dances in a school assembly.
The performance at Robert Healy Elementary School in Bridgeport — held annually for at least 30 years — is so popular that some parents return after their children leave for high school, Principal Erin Kamradt said.
“They’re still coming to the performances because we’re keeping their cultural traditions alive and teaching it to their kids,” she said.
The program at the school — with a student body that’s 75% Asian American — was attended by former Mayor Rahm Emanuel a decade ago.
Lunar New Year, on Saturday, is one of the most important holidays in traditional Chinese culture. The Year of the Dragon will be celebrated with a parade in Uptown Feb. 17 and in Chinatown on Feb. 18. Celebrations begin Saturday on the new moon and culminate Feb. 20 during the full moon.
Thursday’s performances, held in the school’s theater, at 3010 S. Parnell Ave., ranged from traditional to modern.
Eighth grader Mia Li performed a traditional Chi Ling dance in an elaborate red gown. Mia has been practicing traditional Chinese dances since she was 4 years old and was happy to bring that knowledge to the peers she danced with.
“Not many people know about the traditions of China,” she said. “It’s a good time to share” those.
YOUR DAILY QUESTION ☕️
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Editor: Satchel Price
Newsletter reporter: Matt Moore
Copy editor: Angie Myers
