Chicago Public Schools will not cancel classes on May 1, though the district has agreed to provide buses for students and teachers who choose to attend an afternoon rally and other civic engagement events.
All CPS staff are expected to report for a full day of work, but principals can approve field trips to May Day events, the district said in a statement Friday.
“This agreement preserves the classroom time students deserve and respects our staff and families who must be able to trust CPS to uphold the academic school year calendar,” district CEO Macquline King said. “At the same time, the agreement honors the proud history of civic action in Chicago and beyond.”
The Chicago Teachers Union has been pushing for weeks to designate May 1 a teacher-directed professional development day. The nationwide “no work, no school and no shopping” action is aimed at protesting federal policies and advocating for various causes, such as immigrant and labor rights.
But King has remained opposed to canceling classes, citing concerns of disruption to families.
Still, the district “will not retaliate” against students and teachers who attend May 1 events, according to a joint agreement between CTU and CPS signed Thursday.
CPS will provide 100 schools with bagged lunches and transportation to civic events or a rally in Union Park, the agreement said. The district will also give paid release time to 65 CTU bargaining members later in May to advocate in Springfield for school funding.
CTU leaders said in an email to members that the agreement will support the union’s efforts to “transform the school day to one focused on civic engagement, student voice, and standing up to the White House’s attacks targeting our school communities.”
The district noted that staff who chose to use a benefit day must follow their school’s notice and approval process.
CPS and CTU have also agreed to designate a professional development day on May 1, 2028, which is the next year the day falls during the work week.
Mayor Brandon Johnson sought to cast the compromise as a victory in a statement on Friday, saying his office was coordinating with all city agencies to commemorate the holiday, which has historic roots in Chicago.
“We are pleased all parties are working together to ensure school communities can participate in commemorating International Workers Day,” said Johnson, a former CTU organizer. “Encouraging participating allows Chicagoans to honor our history while advocating for our future. We look forward to a day of meaningful solidarity and community resistance to the forces trying to tear us apart.”
The mayor’s position came after earlier comments on Wednesday insisting that “May 1 is happening,” while declining multiple times to clarify if schools will be open or not.
May 1 is also known as International Workers’ Day and has deep ties to the progressive labor movement. CTU has always treated the day with heightened reverence, but renewed its urgency in the wake of President Donald Trump’s second term.
In a memo to the Board of Education last week, King outlined how a nonattendance day would have affected more than 200 schools, including events such AP testing, proms and senior nights. Still, she faced pushback from board members backed by CTU or appointed by Johnson, who make up the majority of the 21-member body.
“As a career educator, I believe every minute in the classroom is vital for our students,” King wrote in a statement last week. “My position has not changed.”
