The May Day Melee Sends Signals about School Board Elections
The sparring over May Day between Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union is over. But some bit players now may become big players in the school board election.
This morning, Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union reached an agreement about how to conduct school on May 1. In short, school will be in session. At the same time, many classrooms will engage in “civic engagement activities” and students and staff will be able to attend the 1 p.m. May Day rally in Grant Park. CPS has agreed to “work in good faith” to provide bagged lunches and transportation for students from at least 100 schools to attend the rally.
You can read the full agreement here. In a statement, the CTU praised Mayor Brandon Johnson, saying, “We’re grateful to have a Mayor who puts working people front and center in his agenda who brought all parties together to find agreement.”
In a letter to parents, Superintendent/CEO Macquline King emphasized that students will be able to have a full instructional day and noted, “As always, participation in any field trip is optional; families and students have the right to opt out of participation and remain in school.”
The Ruckus Brought Potential Players in the School Board Races Closer to the Spotlight
Beyond the agreement itself, the dustup over May Day also brought some likely players in the upcoming school board elections closer to the spotlight. Political action committees and independent expenditure committees are expected to spend big bucks on school board races this year. In the 2024 set of 10 races for Chicago school board seats, the three major money players were the CTU, the Illinois Network of Charter Schools PAC, and the Urban Center, which supports school choice.
This year, all 21 seats are up for election, and potential new money players are emerging. Two super PACs likely to get involved are the Common Ground Collective and One Future Illinois. Though PACs and super PACs often go dormant between election cycles, as of its March 31 report to the state, the Urban Center had only $4,688.38 available.
One Future Illinois was created in summer 2024 but did not play a big role in funding school board races that year. The group’s leadership includes former deputy governor for education and former Illinois State Board of Education chair Jesse Ruiz, who also previously served as interim CEO of CPS and vice president of the Chicago Board of Education under Mayor Rahm Emanuel. As of its March 31 filing with the state, One Future Illinois had $82,750.65 available.
As Politico Illinois Playbook first reported, One Future Illinois conducted a poll of registered Chicago voters asking whether they supported the teacher union’s initial demand to cancel classes on May Day. A narrow majority opposed the idea, and opponents held their position more strongly than supporters.
Common Ground Collective, founded in early 2025, has deep ties with CPS. Its executive director, Chuck Swirsky, worked for the school district for a total of 13 years, first as a lobbyist, then in grants and external affairs, later in policy, and finally as senior advisor to then-CEO Pedro Martinez before leaving and launching Common Ground. Paul Rosenfeld, who helped launch the group but no longer sits on their board, is a veteran lobbyist married to sitting school board member Ellen Rosenfeld (4B).
Common Ground Collective now operates both a PAC and an independent expenditure committee. As of March 31, the PAC held $56,149.35. In the recent primaries, the committee spent more than $1.7 million to run ads about state candidates, spending heavily to support state Rep. Jaime Andrade (40th District), who lost the primary to Miguel Alvelo-Rivera, who was backed by groups aligned with the CTU.
From his personal X account, Swirsky has voiced support for Superintendent/CEO King’s insistence that schools stay open on May 1, and opposition to CTU-backed school board candidates, saying, “CTU leaders put politics before children.”
Candidate Updates
Earlier this week, Karen Zaccor (4A) told Board Rule she has no intention of running for school board president, saying, “I would never consider such a thing.”
In District 3B, Jason Dónes has launched his campaign against incumbent Carlos Rivas. The two ran against each other in 2024, and their race saw high spending. Ultimately, Rivas defeated Dónes 54% to 46%. This time, they are competing in just half of the district they contested in 2024.
In District 5A, West Side realtor LaPamela Williams has launched her campaign to challenge incumbent Jitu Brown. In February, Williams expressed opposition to a redevelopment proposal for the Mars factory in Chicago’s Galewood neighborhood, saying neighbors would prefer a new library branch.
Seen
Last night, board member Jessica Biggs (6B) held her official campaign kickoff fundraiser. As of March 31, her campaign had $48,615 available.
Among those in attendance: mayoral candidate Joe Holberg, Alderwoman Pat Dowell, and fellow board members Therese Boyle (9A), Ellen Rosenfeld (4B), Carlos Rivas (3B), Angel Gutierrez (8A), and Che Smith (10A).
[Note: this post was updated on Saturday, April 18, to correct the summary of Chuck Swirsky's time with CPS and clarify that Paul Rosenfeld no longer serves on the board. Board Rule regrets the error.]
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