CTU

State law prohibits teachers "on leave" from serving on Local School Councils, CPS says.

CTU President Karen Lewis said, "I'm not looking to make anybody's election year easy at all."

Mayor Rahm Emanuel said the Chicago Teachers Union was involved in talks, but the union denied that.

But CPS CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett said the investigation of "staff misconduct" would proceed.

The Chicago Teachers Union claimed victories on Ames Middle School and Will Guzzardi.

Chicago Public Schools officials insisted they were questioning teachers and staff, not students.

The survey, reportedly given by the principal to students at Pritzker, used emoticons to query kids.

The State Board of Education called for ISATs to be presented even to students who had opted out.

The CPS boss warned that teachers could face penalties if they refused to give the tests next week.

Parents representing 17 schools pressed the Board of Education to increase classroom spending.

A state charter board spokeswoman denied the allegation.

But Ald. Latasha Thomas (17th) countered, "School is not a baby-sitting apparatus."

The union said it will concentrate on issues, not candidates, "but 2015 is on."

A request for new charter proposals in neighborhoods where they haven't been welcome drew criticism.

A district spokeswoman insists CPS is committed to its five-year pledge not to shut more schools.