Midwest
Chicago teachers union slams newspaper that called them out for their members' chronic absence
The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) on Friday responded to a newspaper editorial about teachers’ chronic absences in Chicago Public Schools (CPS) when they are paid a median salary of $95K.
“CPS teacher Roxanne Piersanti calls out the Tribune Editorial Board’s recent criticism of teacher absences, pointing out how it unfairly targets working mothers and ignores the realities of caregiving, illness, and the physical toll of teaching,” CTU posted on their X account.
“Have they considered how often educators — especially the 75% of whom are women — are on the front lines of both their classrooms and their families? Does the Trib think workers don’t deserve sick days, FMLA and parental leave? Educators don’t just teach; they sacrifice, care, and persevere. It’s time for the Tribune to reflect the facts,” the CTU wrote.
TEACHERS UNION BOSS DEFENDS SENDING SON TO PRIVATE SCHOOL AFTER CALLING SCHOOL CHOICE RACIST
Despite union membership declining since 2000, a rising number of Americans approve of unions, according to a 2022 Gallup poll. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
The union also highlighted Piersanti’s remark aimed at the Tribune’s editorial board.
“The editorial feels very one-sided and absolutely misogynistic. Do better,” Piersanti wrote in an article criticizing the Tribune.
Piersanti added that the Tribune is “missing facts about why teachers take the time off.”
“What about COVID-19? Do members of the board work with 100-plus different kids a day? How would their immune systems hold up?”, she added.
The Tribune editorial wrote on November 25th that over 41% of teachers were absent from their classes for 10 or more days during the 2023-24 school year, citing state records. The outlet added that 10 days of absences represent a statistical benchmark used in the profession to monitor chronic absenteeism among teachers.
Brandon Johnson, mayor of Chicago, during an inauguration ceremony at the Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago on May 15, 2023. (Jamie Kelter Davis/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“Alarmingly, this poor record of CPS teachers showing up for work has been a new and recent phenomenon. In the 2022-23 school year, for example, CPS teachers’ performance was even worse — 43% were absent at least 10 days. Before that year, though, the rate was considerably better: in the 2016-17 school year, chronic absenteeism among CPS teachers was 31%. The number worsened slightly from there leading into the pandemic but still was better than what we’re seeing now,” the editorial board wrote.
Chicago teachers are paid a median salary of $95,000, significantly more than what teachers are paid in the suburbs and more than “any other large school district in the nation,” according to the Tribune.
CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUFFERING FROM ‘CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM’ BY TEACHERS AS UNION DEMANDS HIGHER PAY: REPORT
The Tribune added that it was an “outlandish ask” for the CTU to demand a 9% annual raise.
CTU President Stacey Davis Gates penned an op-ed on November 29th responding to the editorial board, saying that the board “continues its agenda of denigrating the Chicago Teachers Union and lowers itself with a series of half-truths and cherry-picked statistics.”
“When numbers aren’t juiced to advance an agenda, teacher attendance at CPS tracks with statewide trends,” Davis Gates wrote. “They call this ‘chronic absenteeism’ and insinuate that teachers should be ashamed for doing so.”
Stacy Davis Gates is President of the Chicago Teachers Union, Executive Vice President of the Illinois Federation of Teachers, Vice President of the American Federation of Teachers, and Chair of United Working Families. (YouTube/screenshot | Fox News Digital)
“In CPS and across the state, teachers are making use of their allotted sick time more than before the pandemic. Even when looking at districts with more or less generous leave policies, Chicago is neither the highest nor the lowest when it comes to teacher usage of paid time off,” she added.
CTU, Davis Gates, nor the Tribune immediately responded to a request for comment.
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MILWAUKEE – The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm watch for parts of southeast Wisconsin late Friday night. It remains in effect until 5 a.m. on Saturday, May 16.
The watch covers Jefferson, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Racine, Walworth and Waukesha counties. Storms could produce gusty wind and hail.
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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
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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.
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The Source: Information in this report is from the FOX6 Weather Experts and National Weather Service.
The Detroit Pistons won their fourth must-win game of the postseason, and they’ll have to win one more if they want to advance to the NBA’s final four in the 2026 playoffs.
The 1-seed Pistons will face the 4-seed Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Sunday, May 17. The game will be streamed exclusively on Amazon’s Prime Video streaming service, with a start time of either 5 p.m. ET or 8 p.m. ET.
The Pistons reached Game 7 for a second consecutive series after beating the Cavaliers 115-94 in Game 6 on Friday night in Cleveland. The Pistons were down 3-2 in the series after losing three consecutive games, including an overtime loss in Game 5 at LCA on Wednesday.
Pistons-Cavs Game 7 tickets
The winner of Game 7 will face the 3-seed New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals, with the Pistons aiming to avenge a first-round loss to the Knicks in the 2025 playoffs. The Pistons went 3-0 in the regular season against New York.
Here’s what you need to know about Sunday’s Game 7 between the Cavs and Pistons:
Pistons vs Cavs Game 7 time
- Date: Sunday, May 17.
- Time: 5 or 8 p.m. ET.
- Location: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit.
Sunday’s Game 7 between the Pistons and Cavs will take place Sunday evening at Little Caesars Arena.
Pistons vs Cavs Game 7 channel
Pistons vs Cavs stream for Game 7
Sunday’s Game 7 between the Pistons and Cavs will not be on a traditional TV channel, but instead will stream exclusively on Prime Video. That means you’ll need a smart device with a Prime subscription to watch it.
Watch Pistons-Cavs Game 7 on Prime Video
Pistons tickets for Game 7 vs Cavaliers
Tickets for Game 7 of Cavaliers vs. Pistons on Sunday night at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit are going on StubHub.
Pistons vs Cavaliers schedule, scores in playoff series
Here are the Pistons vs. Cavs scores and schedule for the playoff series in the first round:
>>Follow the best Pistons coverage all year round at freep.com/sports/pistons.
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You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.
MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Recreation held its Partnership for the Arts and Humanities Showcase Friday at North Division High School, bringing together students and community organizations to celebrate arts education in Milwaukee.
The event featured performances, visual art, and cultural programming from a range of partner organizations that work with Milwaukee students before and after school, on weekends, and during the summer.
Ariana Holmes, a recreation supervisor with Milwaukee Recreation, said the showcase highlights the breadth of arts and humanities programming available to young people across the city.
Watch: Milwaukee Recreation hosts youth arts and humanities showcase
Youth Arts and Humanities showcase underway
“This is one of our programs out of many, many at Milwaukee Recreation, but it centers a celebration of arts and humanities in our before and after school programming,” Holmes said. “All of the partners that you see here today, they run programs with Milwaukee students after school, on the weekends, during the summer, making sure that every kid in Milwaukee has access to really wonderful arts and humanities education.”
Organizations represented at the event included Bembe Drum and Dance, Woodland Pattern, All Hands Boat Works, and Running Rebels, among others.
“We have such a wonderful range that really celebrates the diversity that is the arts and humanities,” Holmes said. “We have Bembe Drum and Dance, they’re drumming for us and dancing on stage right now. We have Woodland Pattern, who does poetry with young people in Milwaukee. We have organizations that help build boats with young people, All Hands Boat Works, really just an incredible range.”
Students can sign up for the programs through Milwaukee Recreation, which connects them with partner organizations that run programming both in schools and at their own locations. Holmes said an arts internship for high schoolers is planned for the summer.
“This summer, we’ll be doing an arts internship for older kids, high schoolers to be engaged in arts, so it really is just like a really wonderful diversity of experiences,” Holmes said.
Information about Milwaukee Recreation programs is available through the organization’s printed guides, which are mailed to Milwaukee residents. Residents are encouraged to pick up the guides and explore opportunities for their children to get involved.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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