May Day Edition & School Board Campaign Updates

What will today bring for Chicago Public Schools attendance and student participation in the Chicago Teachers Union's day of civic action? According to Chalkbeat Chicago, Chicago Public Schools officials have received field trip requests from about 45 schools. Last night WTTW published the organizers' full calendar of May Day events in Chicago. And, the weather looks better than yesterday; the forecast calls for partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid-40s.

On the Campaign Trail

ICYMI, Chalkbeat Chicago's Mila Koumpilova recently reported on the state of play in school board campaign fundraising. More than half a million dollars has already been raised for candidates, with more than a third of the total going to Sendhil Revuluri, who is one of four declared candidates running for school board president.

Here's a breakdown of the latest in the district races:

Pastor Michael Neal is running in District 6B, where incumbent Jessica Biggs has declared she is running for school board president. Neal attended Biggs' campaign launch. On Monday, Bright Star Pastor Chris Harris endorsed Neal in an email. Back in October, Board Rule highlighted the work Neal and his community, Glorious Light Church and Timothy Community Corporation, have done to preserve Price Elementary, which was closed in June 2012.

Lawyer Brittany Kimble has launched a campaign committee in District 6B, though it reported no cash on hand as of March 31.

Board Member Emma Lozano (7A) has activated a campaign committee, though as of March 31, it had no funds. Board Rule has been told she is circulating petitions. Lozano has not responded to repeated emails from Board Rule asking her to confirm she's running.

In District 8B, former Marine, current Chicago police detective, and cafe owner Juan Ignacio Gonzalez has launched his bid for a school board seat. A lifelong resident of Back of the Yards, Gonzalez opened Dreamcatcher Cafe in June 2025.

In District 10B, Corey Shaw, also known as "CJ Shaw-El," has formed a campaign committee. Shaw is the community affairs manager for state Rep. Justin Slaughter (D-27).

Will slates emerge? Though no candidate slates have yet formalized, some candidates are already working together to get ballot signatures. Incumbent Norma Rios (3A) and neighboring challenger Jason Dónes (3B) are sponsoring a joint campaign launch and signature canvass on Sunday, May 3. Incumbents Angel Velez and Cydney Wallace have also teamed up to canvass.

Quote of the Week

In an interview published yesterday in The 74, Arne Duncan had this to say about Chicago's current school board:

"When I was superintendent, I answered to seven board members who were appointed by the mayor. They now have 21 board members, and I don’t know anyone in life who ever wanted 21 bosses."

More seriously, Duncan suggested the cumbersome board led talented candidates to take a pass on the recent superintendent opening here. (Board Rule has heard similar takes from superintendents beyond Illinois.) "I worry that it's been set up for failure," Duncan said.

Board Rule News: 500 Subscribers!

With help from a Facebook ad campaign sponsored by Press Forward Chicago, Board Rule has seen rapid subscriber growth over the last month. Our 500th subscriber joined on Wednesday. We're deeply grateful to all of you for supporting Board Rule. Please read the newsletter and share it with anyone you know who needs the latest on the school board, CPS, and the state of the races as November comes closer. This really matters, both for Board Rule and, more importantly, for Chicago's students.

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Remembering Amisha Patel

Well-known Chicago organizer Amisha Patel died on April 24, after a nine-year fight against cancer. She was 50.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Patel first met CTU President Stacy Davis Gates when Patel was an organizer for SEIU and Davis Gates was a teacher at soon-to-close Englewood High School. In 2007, Patel became executive director of the Grassroots Collaborative, a coalition of community and labor groups she led for 15 years. Patel was instrumental in marshalling community support for the pivotal 2012 CTU strike. Block Club Chicago noted that many in Chicago's progressive movement credit Patel with building the political groundwork that elected Delia Ramirez to Congress and Brandon Johnson to City Hall's fifth floor. In a recent essay for Truthout, Patel reflected on the insights her battle against cancer offer in the fight against authoritarianism.

Patel's funeral will be held tomorrow at New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church, 4301 W Washington. Visitation is from noon-2 p.m. and the funeral service is from 2-4 p.m. Mayor Brandon Johnson is expected to deliver a eulogy. A livestream link will be available here.