Midwest

Chicago schools slammed for delayed calendar, encouraging student attendance at DNC

Published

2 years ago

August 24, 2024

Chicago schools slammed for delayed calendar, encouraging student attendance at DNC

Chicago’s school district is facing criticism for delaying the academic year start by a week — with detractors arguing that it’s a politically motivated move. Students were regularly scheduled to return to school on Monday.

The School Year 2025 (SY25) calendar published by the district depicted 176 full-student-attendance days, beginning Monday and ending June 12, 2025. In its reasoning for the delay, the district cited the Democratic National Convention (DNC) and its estimated 75,000 visitors drawn to the city.

The school district said that the respite will allow students the time to “attend, volunteer, and participate in the civic process of hosting the convention.”

That highlight irked several education experts and lawmakers, who also pointed out American Federation of Teachers (AFT) union boss Randi Weingarten was a featured keynote speaker during a Monday panel by the DNC Climate Council.

RANDI WEINGARTEN ‘AMONG THE MOST DANGEROUS PEOPLE’ IN US, MIKE POMPEO CLAIMS

Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz takes the stage on Day 3 of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Wednesday. (Reuters/Mike Segar/Pool)

“Join us for an electric meeting with Biden-Harris climate wins, new polling data, panels and presentations!” the advertisement for the breakout session read.

Doug Mayer, spokesman for the Public Labor Unions Accountability Committee, said Thursday that the Chicago district’s decision to delay the school year for the DNC is a “clear example of what happens when the Public Sector Unions gain too much power.”

“Instead of prioritizing students’ education, decisions are driven by political agendas,” Mayer said. “This overreach harms our kids and underscores the dangers of allowing unions to dictate what’s best for our students.”

CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION URGES STUDENTS TO ATTEND POLITICAL RALLY FOR ILLINOIS PRIMARY

Critics also highlighted education-related claims being made from the DNC dais itself.

House Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn of South Carolina was lambasted on X for claiming, “Thanks to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, we reopened our schools.”

Mayer’s group went further, publishing a new TV spot called “teacher’s pets” that labeled the Democratic ticket “champions” for the teachers unions’ agenda and “shutting kids out of school” during the pandemic.

TEACHERS UNIONS NEED AUDITS AS WEINGARTEN STUMPS WITH WHITMER AND STUDENT FAIL: SCHWEIZER

Rep. Darin LaHood, an Illinois Republican who represents the western exurbs of Chicago, said the city and teachers unions are placing their political interests above students.

That, he added, further makes the case for more school choice programs in the Land of Lincoln and nationwide.

“The hypocrisy of Chicago politicians and the teachers unions to keep students out of class to appease their friends at the DNC is astounding,” LaHood said. “Illinois students still lag behind because of Gov. JB Pritzker’s COVID lockdowns in 2020.” The governor characterized such restrictions as protecting students and the public.

The American Federation for Children’s Corey DeAngelis, who focuses on school choice and education issues, slammed the Windy City’s district over the situation:

“Chicago Democrats, owned by the control freaks at the teachers unions, continue allowing kids to be denied an education. They always put politics before the needs of children and their families,” said DeAngelis, who also works with the Cato Institute.

DeAngelis argued that the delayed calendar, coupled with suggestions that children be drawn into partisan politicking at the DNC, is why school choice is such an important issue.

“Parents should be able to take their children’s education dollars to schools that actually care about them. Only then will the school system have an incentive to do the right thing and cater to the needs of families as opposed to the other way around,” he said.

A source familiar with Chicago and its school system pointed out the district currently faces a reported $500 million deficit, and drew attention to press claims that teachers unions “govern” Chicago — as Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson was previously a local teachers union organizer.

In that regard, DeAngelis condemned Chicago politicians writ large for allowing “power-hungry teachers unions” to “lock kids out of school for years starting in 2020.”

“Now, they’re prioritizing their friends at the DNC over the kids. They’ll find any excuse to put kids last, and it’s a disgrace,” he said.

Johnson declined comment for purposes of this story.

Fox News Digital reached out to Weingarten, via the AFT, but did not receive a response.

Representatives for Chicago Public Schools also did not respond to a request for comment.

Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital.

He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant.

Charles covers media, politics and culture for Fox News Digital.

Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to charles.creitz@fox.com.

Read the full article from Here

Midwest

Ilhan Omar doesn’t have any regrets for her ‘unavoidable’ outburst at State of the Union

Published

1 hour ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Ilhan Omar doesn’t have any regrets for her ‘unavoidable’ outburst at State of the Union

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., spoke candidly on Wednesday, defending her outbursts during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address.

Omar, along with colleague Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., who was seated next to her, appeared on video repeatedly interrupting and gesturing toward Trump several times throughout his speech.

Omar appeared to shout “You are a murderer” and “You’re a liar.”

Rep. Ilhan Omar, right, with Rep. Rashida Tlaib at her side, spoke at a news conference at the State Capitol. (Renee Jones Schneider/Star Tribune via Getty Images)

When appearing on CNN, Omar was pressed by host Wolf Blitzer, who noted that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., asked members of his caucus to either sit in silence or to not attend at all.

“Should you have just boycotted the address? And do you think you violated the guidelines set out by your own leader?” he asked.

“No, I think it was really unavoidable. The president talked about protecting Americans, and I just had to remind him that his administration was responsible for killing two of my constituents,” Omar responded.

“Do you have any regrets at all about the interaction we played between you and President Trump just last night?” Blitzer asked.

“I do not, and I think many people look at that moment when the president says, ‘It is our responsibility to protect Americans,’ and he does not acknowledge the fact that two Americans, two of my constituents, two of our neighbors, were killed,” she said. “And it was important for me to just remind the American people that the president and his administration was responsible for killing two American citizens.”

Blitzer proceeded to ask, with hindsight in mind, whether she still thinks she made the right choice by showing up.

‘SQUAD’ MEMBER WEARS ‘F— ICE’ PIN ON HOUSE FLOOR DURING TRUMP ADDRESS

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., left, and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., shout at President Donald Trump as he delivers his State of the Union address during a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol Feb. 24, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

“I brought four Minnesotans up as guests for the Minnesota delegation. It was important for us to be there, to bear witness, to hold space for our constituents that have lived through an occupation from federal law enforcement, that have been terrorized, that have seen our neighbors been killed and traumatized in so many ways and, so, no. I think it was really important for my constituents to see me there,” she said.

“It was really important to my constituents to hear that. I was reminding the president that Renee Good and Alex Pretti were killed under this administration.”

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

Democrats have rallied around the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good as a means to criticize ICE and immigration enforcement efforts. (Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.

It responded with a Truth Social post from Trump in which he called for critics like Omar and Tlaib to be put on a boat and “send them back from where they came.”

Fox News’ Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.

Alexander Hall is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to Alexander.hall@fox.com.

Read the full article from Here

Detroit, MI

Rex Satterfield’s 1956 Bel Air takes 2026 Ridler Award in Detroit

Published

3 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Rex Satterfield’s 1956 Bel Air takes 2026 Ridler Award in Detroit

Rex Satterfield hoped to see his 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible snag one of the BASF Great 8 finalist spots at this year’s Detroit Autorama. But winning the Ridler Award — one of the highest honors in the custom car business — was something he didn’t foresee.

“It’s just overwhelming right now,” said the man from Russellville, Tennessee, as he left a ballroom at downtown’s Huntington Place and made his way back to the show floor on Sunday, March 1. “We weren’t expecting this.”

Getting a car recognized as one of the BASF Great 8 vehicles is a win in and of itself as they are considered the “absolute pinnacle of custom automotive craftsmanship worldwide,” according to the show. The cars undergo an intensive judging process.

And this effort had an unexpected and emotional complication with the passing in December 2024 of the original builder, Jeff Wolfenbarger, who was battling cancer even as he continued working on the car named “Elegant Lady.”

Kevin Riffey of Kevin Riffey’s Hot Rods and Restorations in Knoxville stepped in to finish the work Wolfenbarger started. He’d had two other cars in the past make the Great 8. He said the goal with this vehicle was straightforward, calling it a “purpose-built show car.”

From its prominent spot at the front of the show floor, “Elegant Lady” sported a creamy exterior, dubbed Light Coffee. The car carries a 1,000 horsepower Don Hardy race engine. The gauges, wheels and gas tank are custom, and the dash is from a 1956 Pontiac.

Satterfield plans to show the car around some and enjoy the moment with it. He said he’s been a car guy since he was a little kid.

The Ridler Award, named in honor of Detroit Autorama’s first publicist, Don Ridler, comes with a $10,000 prize. It was awarded on the final day of this year’s Detroit Autorama, which ran Friday, Feb. 27-Sunday, March 1. This was the event’s 73rd year.

Eric D. Lawrence is the senior car culture reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Send your tips and suggestions about cool automotive stuff to elawrence@freepress.com. Become a subscriber. Submit a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters.

Source link

Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee Weather – Frosty and cold morning, sunny day ahead

Published

4 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

MILWAUKEE – Forecast from FOX6 Meteorologist Lisa Michaels

Frosty Monday morning with temps in the teens inland to low 20s near the lake.
Mostly sunny to sunny skies on Monday. Highs in the mid-40s inland, upper 30s near the lake.
A total lunar eclipse will happen Tuesday morning, total eclipse from 5-6am. It may be tough to see due to increasing clouds.
Increasing clouds on Tuesday with highs in the low 40s. Chance of rain and storms possible Wednesday through Friday with warming temperatures.

Today: 39 Lake. Mostly sunny.
High: 44°
Wind: SE 5-10

Tonight: Partly cloudy this evening, mostly clear overnight.
Low: 27°
Wind: SE 5

Tuesday: 39 Lake. Mostly cloudy.
High: 43°
Wind: E 5-10

Wednesday:41 Lake. Chance for scattered showers and t-storms.
AM Low: 32° High: 45°
Wind: E 5-10

Thursday: 39 Lake. Mostly cloudy. Chance storms.
AM Low: 37° High: 42°
Wind: NE 5-10

Friday: Chance for showers and t-storms Warmer. Warming at night.
AM Low: 37° High: 57°
Wind: SE 5-15

Saturday: Mostly cloudy with AM rain showers. Blustery with falling afternoon temperatures.
AM Low: 47° High: 53°
Wind: NE 5-10

6-day planner

FOX6 Weather Extras

Local perspective:

Meanwhile, FOX6Now.com offers a variety of extremely useful weather tools to help you navigate the stormy season. They include the following:

FOX6 Storm Center app

FOX LOCAL Mobile app

FOX Weather app

FOX Weather

Big picture view:

Maps and radar

We have a host of maps and radars on the FOX6 Weather page that are updating regularly — to provide you the most accurate assessment of the weather. From a county-by-county view to the Midwest regional radar and a national view — it’s all there.

School and business closings

When the weather gets a little dicey, schools and businesses may shut down. Monitor the latest list of closings, cancellations, and delays reported in southeast Wisconsin.