As a member of the Chicago Board of Education, a Chicago Public Schools parent and an educator, I take seriously my responsibility to put students and families first. The chaos following Wednesday’s agenda review committee did not put families first.
The CPS superintendent has the sole authority to hold true to the academic calendar, and I am glad CPS Superintendent Macquline King ultimately reaffirmed her commitment to keeping children in classrooms on May 1 rather than cancel classes for the Chicago Teachers Union’s “Civic Day of Action.” But her abdication to the board of her authority has opened the door for Mayor Brandon Johnson and his allies to bring more uncertainty to Chicago families.
As the board continues to grow and progress, we need to better understand the requirement for autonomy from the leader of the district and her relationship to the board. The importance of selecting a superintendent is in essence communicating to the public that we trust this person’s judgment to lead and make decisions that are in line with the mission and vision of the district. We need this person to stand firm and unwavering on decisions that are best for students. We need this person to stand strong on best practices that will move our district forward and continue the growth we want to see.
For many Chicago families, school is not optional. It is where their children learn and grow. It also gives working parents peace of mind that their children are safe and fed. When schools are disrupted, families pay the price: missed shifts, lost wages, a scramble for child care and added stress for households already stretched thin.
The families I represent don’t have the luxury of treating a school day like a political bargaining chip. They are parents who work, often hourly or multiple jobs, doing everything they can to stay afloat. Asking them to absorb the cost of an avoidable disruption is not equity, it’s indifference.
I believe deeply in the power of organized labor. I have been a union member and served as president of my local teachers union. I know what solidarity looks like when it is done right. Solidarity lifts people up and builds collective strength. What we are seeing here is not that. It is politicization.
May Day has a long and important history rooted in workers’ rights. But using it to disrupt classrooms crosses a line. Solidarity means standing together. Solidarity is not forcing working families to bear the burden of a political message they did not ask for and cannot afford. Solidarity is not taking protections away from the students we serve.
When decisions like this are made, it sends a troubling message: that politics can take precedence over students and that working parents’ voices can be sidelined.
That is not leadership our kids deserve. This is not the leadership our parents deserve. This is not the leadership our teachers, administrators and staff deserve. They deserve better. We need to be better.
We should be maximizing instructional time, stabilizing our schools and supporting families — not creating chaos. We need to see those strong academic gains, which only come when students are in the classroom. We need leadership that our families and communities can trust to make the right decisions for the most important stakeholders in the district: our students.
Chicagoans must demand that we stop playing politics with our kids — on all issues. Our classrooms are not bargaining chips, and our families should not be collateral damage.I will continue to fight for decisions that put students first. It is our job to serve children, not acquiesce to the political whims.
Jennifer Custer is a member of the Chicago Board of Education who represents District 1B.
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