Mayor Johnson Signals Support for CPS Students to Skip School for Funding Protest

Chicago mayor says it's time to push the envelope and turn talk into protest action for better school funding.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 8:49pm

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Mayor Brandon Johnson hinted that he supports the Chicago Teachers Union's call for a one-day strike on May 1 that would allow Chicago Public Schools students to miss a day of classes to advocate for increased school funding. Johnson said his push to tax major corporations and wealthy Chicagoans to bolster school funding has so far gone nowhere, and it's time to push the envelope through protest action.

Why it matters

The mayor's potential support for a student-led protest day highlights the ongoing battle over school funding in Chicago, where the teachers union and city leaders have clashed over resources. This move could galvanize student activism around education issues, but also raises questions about the role of schools in facilitating political protests.

The details

Mayor Johnson, a former teacher and CTU organizer, said the teachers union wants CPS and the school board to sanction May 1 as a 'no school, no work, no shopping' day to allow students to participate in civic education, labor history programming, voter registration and other protest activities. The mayor argued that without direct action, the fight for better school funding will continue to stall, drawing parallels to the civil rights movement's use of protest.

  • The CTU's House of Delegates approved a resolution last week calling for the May 1 protest day.
  • CPS students are already scheduled to be off on Tuesday, Wednesday, and all of next week for spring break.

The players

Mayor Brandon Johnson

The mayor of Chicago, a former middle school teacher and paid organizer for the Chicago Teachers Union whose mayoral campaign was heavily supported by the union.

Chicago Teachers Union (CTU)

The labor union representing teachers in the Chicago Public Schools system, which is pushing for the May 1 student protest day.

Ald. Jeanette Taylor

The chair of the City Council's Education Committee, who has two grandchildren attending Chicago Public Schools and expressed concerns about simply letting students skip school without a clear plan for action.

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What they’re saying

“People all over the country are tired. Working people have had to bear the weight of a sluggish economy while the ultra-rich continue to get richer. Our schools are woefully underfunded… People want more investment in our public transportation system. All of that requires a push from working people to challenge elected leaders.”

— Mayor Brandon Johnson (WBEZ-FM Radio)

“If we just believe that we can just sit on our hands and just hope and wish, that clearly has not worked. I've called for taxing corporations and I've had other elected leaders fight me who are also Democrats.”

— Mayor Brandon Johnson (WBEZ-FM Radio)

“Are they going down to Springfield? Are they coming down to City Hall? What work is gonna be done? There needs to be something else other than just taking a day off. I want young people to understand them taking the day off. Are we teaching them about May Day? Are we teaching them about workers rights? Are we teaching them to advocate in Springfield for themselves? What comes with it?”

— Ald. Jeanette Taylor, Chair of the City Council's Education Committee (Chicago Sun-Times)

What’s next

The Chicago Board of Education and Mayor Johnson will need to decide whether to officially sanction the May 1 student protest day, which could involve coordinating civic education programming and protest activities.

The takeaway

This potential student protest day highlights the ongoing tensions over school funding in Chicago, where the teachers union and city leaders have clashed. While the mayor sees protest as necessary to drive change, some worry about the educational value if the day is not structured with clear learning objectives. The outcome could set an important precedent for student activism around education issues.