>> Hello and thanks for joining us on Chicago tonight.

I'm Brandis Friedman.

Here's what we're looking at.

>> It's a human thing to do is attempting to do is the right thing to do.

A phase out of the tipped minimum wage moves forward after Chicago City Council members failed to override Mayor Johnson's veto.

>> Parents and students are caught in the middle as Chicago's Board of Education debate.

Whether to cancel classes May 1st we hear from both sides.

>> Meanwhile, a fully elected school board is on its way to Chicago.

What to know about how to work.

think that the is an elevator.

And it's the gate between the Chicago River and Lake Michigan.

>> We explain how the Chicago Harbor locks works.

>> First off tonight, a new watchdog report says to Chicago police sergeant and 4 officers failed to properly investigate a crash where a vehicle driven by a Chicago Fire Department employee struck and killed someone in her last quarterly report as Inspector General Deborah with Berg's office doesn't conclude that the CPD members deliberately covered up the fatal crash.

Rather.

She found their actions prevented her office from conducting a complete investigation and potentially crucial in front macean not being shared with CPD investigators.

She says the officers failed to document proper statements from the driver failed ID or interview a witness and several either turned off their body cameras or didn't activate them at all in violation of CPD policy.

And on a programming note, which Bird will join us on this program tomorrow evening.

Cook County officials are extending their condolences to the family of Late County Commissioner Dennis Deer, whose wife and son were found fatally shot Tuesday evening.

Here's why.

51 year-old Barbara and 23 year-old son Caleb, were found at a home in Homan Square just before 06:00PM.

Barbara was shot 3 times in the chest.

Caleb once in the head, Denis Deer died in 2024.

At the age of 51 a year after his double lung transplant.

In a statement Cook County Board, President Toni Preckwinkle says, quote, the deer family has long been well known in the community for their compassion and steadfast commitment to others.

There are no words that can make sense of such pain.

But I hope the surviving family members find strength in the love that surrounds them.

Chicago has already nearly shattered or already shattered a nearly 80 year-old rainfall record and more rain is on the way.

>> The National Weather Service says there will be multiple waves of potentially severe storms this afternoon.

And tonight, meaning the potential for damaging winds, large hail and flash flooding.

Thunderstorms have already dumped nearly 2 and a half inches of rain at O'Hare Airport.

The previous record for yesterday, April 14th was 1.0, 2, 1, inches.

That was back in 1949, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District has an overflow action day alert in place today, encouraging residents to limit household water use in order to increase capacity in combined sewer pipes for storm water rather than waste water.

Where the city's tipped minimum wage stands after today's City Council meeting.

Pressure breaks it down for us next.

>> Chicago tonight is made possible in part why the Alexander and John Nichols family.

The Pope Brothers Foundation.

And the support of these donors.

>> One of Mayor Brandon Johnson's major legislative accomplishments will stand.

That is after Chicago City Council failed to override his veto.

Keeping the phase out of the tipped minimum wage on track.

Let's listen to some of that debate before the vote.

>> Chicago.

And so that's why we have to stand up today and do what's right instead of doing with politically you bake, if making sure that people can afford their rent and pay their bills and put food in their refrigerator.

>> Is not a politically correct thing to do.

It's a human thing to do.

It's a tough thing to do.

the right thing to >> And our Heather Sharon joins us now with more.

Heather, what does today's vote mean for Chicago workers who earn tips?

Well, it means that they will get an 8% raise on July first.

And as of now, that tip to minimum wage, which means that they earn about $3.50 less than other hourly workers in Chicago making the minimum wage is on track to be stays out late July 2028, when everybody will be have to pay minimum wage, which is right now 16 60 but rise with inflation over the next couple of years.

The mayor appeared to relish this fight her.

Why would we know?

Well, she ran for mayor all the way back in 2023.

Vowing to champion Chicago's working people in specifically those in the working class.

And these are people who work at restaurants that are not fancy in downtown or in Lincoln Park.

And relished this fight to say, look, I'm standing up for black women for Latina women who are often the ones who rely on tips to make up that minimum wage.

And I think we're going hear a lot about it as he prepares to run for a second term course.

So while the city council put this issue on ICE, at least for the moment, 2 other hot button issues did not get a vote today.

What happened?

Well, there's an effort to speed the creation of video gambling terminals in bars and restaurants across Chicago.

Supporters of that change want the city to step up efforts to get licenses, want state officials sort give the green light to those bars and restaurant that was blocked from a vote today.

Also blocked from a vote.

Today is a measure designed to help CPD rid its Officers with ties to extremist anti-government organizations like the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers, both are likely to come back for a vote at the next city Council meeting but we'll have to wait a month for a final vote on because I know those are 2 issues even keeping an eye her.

Have it here.

Wbtw news will hear about later.

>> Sharon, thanks so much.

Thanks.

Brandis.

And you can read full story on our website is all at W T Tw dot com Slash news.

All right.

And I think we're going to have more coming up in just a bit.

>> From our next panel, we're going to be talking about Chicago public schools and made a right after this.

>> Chicago public schools are expected to remain open on May first or what's known as May Day.

International Workers Day.

That is after a monthslong public dispute between the Chicago teachers union and members of the CPS board.

The union says teachers and students should be excused from classes to attend demonstrations while the board and CEO Macklin King say students should remain in class.

Joining us, our Jennifer Custer CPS board member representing district one be on Chicago's northwest side.

She's also running for board president in the upcoming election.

And Bridget Doherty treading a 26 year.

Veteran art teacher William Howard Taft, High School and CTU Executive Board member.

Thanks to both for joining Thank So Jennifer has a CBS board member.

You've been very vocal about opposing canceling classes on May 1st, which would allow teachers and students to to attend.

>> This day's demonstrations, why do feel that way?

No, we put out a calendar at the beginning of the school year for parents and they really rely on that.

It's a form of stability.

They know what to expect.

They can plan around it, the Cajuns, cetera, cetera.

And now seemingly potentially 8 days beforehand if the board votes to we could overturn that and change it.

And that that really puts a big burden on our parents and on our families who rely on the stability of a school calendar to plan their lives with their kids.

Bridgette, you feel otherwise you can.

Classes should be canceled.

Some students and teachers can't until we want do so.

You know, May day May first 2026. very important actions taking place around the country in our city internationally branded.

So as you already mentioned, it's May first is international workers day like it's international Labor Day.

So it's significant.

It's significant every year.

>> But in 2026, these are not normal times.

All right.

If you consider the actions of the federal government Iran president the impact on the working people of Chicago and the students in the city city of Chicago.

And so for us, this is, you know, not about.

Making it difficult to adjust the calendar, but we want our students to be able to participate in civic day of action.

And this is something that we've been discussing with CPS for more than the last 8 days.

This was part of our contract negotiations ongoing discussions and we use a union are excited to be able to partner with CPS to make this important day for So CPS, CEO Macklin King reaffirmed last Thursday that schools would be open May first writing, quote.

>> My recommendation to the Chicago Board of Education for weeks and again, during this week's Agenda Review Committee meeting has been to maintain me first as an instructional day for students as a career educator, I believe every minute in the classroom is vital for our students.

But we know that board members could vote to overrule that board.

President Shannon Hardin and others have pushed to cancel classes, leaving some parents and students still wondering, will Chicago public schools have normal classes on May first, what should people expect?

going continue going up.

You know, we somewhat, you know, we we should expect that we've been saying is that it will be a nationwide international day of action >> CTU, again, is very committed to being partners with CPS.

We've even made proposals that we kid just to make the day look a way that works for everyone.

Maybe it's a half-day of attendance.

Maybe it's an afternoon of civic action.

But I would say is a 26 year veteran like we certainly do make adjustments to the calendar.

It isn't moving mountains this week, students high school students were doing a CT testing in PRE a CT testing schedules or adjusted.

Some students were not in attendance.

So that's not uncommon.

excuse me, Jennifer.

>> Yeah, I don't.

I don't know that we know what to expect yet.

you know, Doctor King had the sole authority to make this decision and she could have su so without even consulting the board.

All she had to do is maintain the calendar as it was approved by the board in previous years.

So she could have just said this is what we're doing and this is how we're doing it.

Instead, she did bring it to the board.

And so now there is potentially the possibility that we may see this come up to a board vote and then it would be the board having an agenda item that would alter the 24 of its cues.

Me the 25 26 calendar.

And we don't know exactly what that might look like.

It could be that it is as we kind of had talked about in our closed session, a proposed professional development day for teachers, which would mean it's a student non-instructional day.

And so we don't quite frankly, we're going to have to kind of wait to find out.

We've reached the point where I think calling any kind of special board meeting, which I know she had Dr King had said once already it's kind of a little late for that.

So we are going to have to probably wait until the 23rd and see how this shakes out at the agenda.

>> So is he to you?

You all have your own itinerary which calls for students and teachers to meet at school and then attend the rally at Union Park.

What our members, brother, what are you all telling parents and students at this point who maybe aren't sure whether or not to expect class that day or 2 have to plan for something else.

Yeah.

I mean, just to be clear, it is that there's not a sea to you, Jean de for midday, right?

I mean, we were in coalition with.

>> Hundreds of partners, other units, other unions, community organizations.

But yeah, we've put out a framework of staff members meeting at their schools, right?

That's the way for school communities to come together.

There are different regional events that are happening related to civic action teaches that are happening near school communities.

And then there is a rally and March convening at Union Park at 01:00PM.

All right.

on, that's the framework.

That's the plan.

And it's very similar to remember in 2016 we did a one-day action on April.

1st.

And and the format is very similar to that day.

We similarly better schools, regional actions and convened on one large and do remember that, which would be different, though, because that was a one-day strike at the true.

And this is not a strike exactly.

But as far as life logistics of kind of what how we would envision network got So in a post last week, Jennifer CTU claimed that they negotiated this day of action into the contract with CPS that they've held, quote, countless meetings with CPS.

>> To discuss student preparations and trouble, she challenges now, Dr King has told the board that's not quite the case with regards to the day and how negotiations have worked to land on this particular day.

What is your response to to the union's argument?

Yeah.

So what we were told by DR King and by some other members of CPS leadership is that, yes, this was discussed during negotiations.

However.

>> It was said to see to you that the calendar was already set and it would require that a board vote to overturn that calendar.

And so they were not going to discuss it for the 25 excuse me, 2025.

26 school year.

But it was written into the contract that we could have a mutual day dedicated to professional development day that CTU and CPS agree on and we could organize activities for May first beginning.

The 26 27 school year.

So we didn't quite exactly get the same message that he, too, is claiming there were discussions, but they weren't entertaining.

Those discussions as calendars were already passed by a previous board.

Bridgette, believe that CPS is in violation of the contracts?

Is that accurate?

it ended that you're asking to swap Basically there's a professional development date nearly the end of the school year that you would first to be That would that would be an easy adjustment.

And I cannot stress enough how this is the summer, not in normal times.

>> All right.

Like the urgency of such an action we saw how powerful it was when there was a day of no work, no school, no shopping in Minnesota and like the impact of because again, our families and students are being impacted.

>> were in multiple wars.

Folks are having a hard time paying for gas.

Hopes her having a hard time paying for groceries, rent property taxes like the impact of things that are happening at the federal level are impacting our students.

And our students want to see teachers.

Standing up.

Taking a stand.

>> Jennifer CTU also argues that this is an important moment as we just heard from these times call for increased political activism what do you say to that argument?

>> Saint, I'm you're not going to find an argument with from me.

That May day is an incredibly important day.

I'm a union member.

My husband's union member.

We feel like these are really important values that we teach our kids in our household, too.

However, we're talking about a school district and we need to have a conversation about what is the role of the school district and for me and for many of my board colleagues, the role of the district is to provide children with an education.

And that should be the number one thing that we're focused on.

If we had had conversations about having curriculum or doing activities within the school day with the students.

That sounds great.

But what we're talking about is a major disruption to a lot of students across the entire city.

We're talking about AP Test Prep, a CT Makeups.

We're talking about field trips that are planned all over the city.

We're talking about college decision day, which is huge for a lot of our seniors and this doesn't just disrupt those children.

It disrupts their families.

I've had countless e-mails from people telling me I'd have to take a 0 day.

I'm not going to be able to find childcare for my children.

Please don't vote for this.

I don't know what I'm going to do.

If my child is school that day.

So for us, this is about.

The role of the school district and educating the students that we are tasked, educate.

>> Bridget, some of the items on the curriculum CTU recommends teachers use on May.

First.

One of them to lessen titled Things Donald Trump did this year.

You might have having students create TikTok videos on rising authoritarianism.

Some critics are arguing, though, that this is more about, quote, indoctrinating students rather than educating them informing letting in form their own political views.

How do you respond to that?

teaching of civics is a critical part of our school district in CPS is own mission.

>> We are preparing students for success in civic life.

We have a civics graduation current events, things that are currently happening in world being in service, democracy in action.

That's part of curriculum.

So what have we not taught about actions of presidents?

What's going on in the government.

That's not new.

And we want our students to be well informed where be critical thinkers Jennifer couple seconds So board member who voted against the appointment of Macklin King as CEO.

You've been critical about her over this particular issue saying, quote, >> abdication to the board of her authority has opened the door for Mayor Brandon Johnson and his allies to bring more uncertainty should come to Chicago families that isn't.

You're coming here in Chicago Tribune, what would you like to see differently out of Macklin king in about 20 seconds?

>> I want to see her stand on her own autonomy.

I want to see her make decisions and stand by those decisions.

And I really need to see, you know, my vote was based on feedback from my community.

I want to see her show up and I want to see your show up everywhere and have conversations with stakeholders all across the city and what they're looking for for their children's education.

That's where we'll have to leave it up.

Best you look best of luck to you both as you navigate all of this, Jennifer Custer and averaged already fretting.

Thank you so much for joining Thank you.

Thanks, >> Up next, how the CPS school board is changing this year.

Chicago voters will make history this fall for the first time ever.

The entire school board for Chicago Public Schools will be up for election.

This follows decades of advocacy to eliminate mayoral control over the board, culminating in a 2021 bill that set the city on a path towards a fully elected board.

Our Matt Masterson joins us now with more on what we should know.

Matt, what is changing about the school board this year?

So this is the year it's finally going to be a fully elected school board for the last couple years.

It's been a hybrid board after CPS started its first round of elections in 2024.

>> Half of the board, which is 10 members were elected.

The other half still appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson.

As was the board president position picked by Mayor Johnson.

So he still had mayoral control over majority of the board.

That's all going away this year.

All 21 seats on the Board Education are going to be up for grabs.

So this is a massive change.

These seats, the these positions, they they set the district policies.

They set the district goals.

They are in charge of hiring and firing the CPS CEO, both of which they've done within the last year and a half.

They said that the district calendar.

So these are very important positions that Chicagoans will finally a say in picking for themselves.

Yeah, something we know that many Chicagoans have been working for for quite sometime.

How did we get here It's been years and years since 1995, the board has been under mayoral control and bills have been brought repeatedly year after year after year trying to force an elected school board in Chicago.

Chicago famously was the only city in Illinois without an elected school board parents residents, the Chicago teachers union.

They fought for this for a long time saying that they were being denied a voice in of how this education system is run.

It's it was the 3rd largest now the 4th largest school district in the country and parents felt they were iced out from control on this.

So the headwinds finally change in 2021.

Bill made it through the through the Senate on to the desk of Governor JB Pritzker who did ultimately signed into law, bringing about the changes that we saw first hybrid board.

Now the fully elected So what will voters see other Ballot bowl?

So this fall, district is going to broken up into 20 subdistricts that the city is going to be broken up into 20 some districts, each of is going to elect its own board member residents will be able to vote for their own one representative there.

The board president is also going to be a separate election.

That is a citywide race that's not tied to any geographic district like the rest of the seats.

So voters will also have a say in that one.

So voters will see 2 seats that they'll be voting on the board president in their own local representative that will see him there what do we know anything about who might be running president?

There's a handful of candidates so far to current board members.

Jennifer Custer and I just could bigs are both running former board member Central Rivlary is announced his campaign as well as has a board member from Urban Prep Victor Henderson.

So there's there's still time for candidates to announce their campaigns.

But for now, there's only handful of candidates running few names of her before.

So should be an interesting race at Masters.

And thank you so much.

Experience.

>> And you can read Matt's full story on our website.

It's all at W T Tw Dot com Slash news.

>> Chicago boating season kicks off today which means it's time to open the gate, invite gate.

We mean the Chicago Harbor Lock which separates the Chicago River from Lake Michigan.

It's right next to Navy Pier.

And it's one of the busiest locks in the nation.

Our patty, what Lee shares, how this feat of engineering it works in our latest edition of Wt Tw explains.

>> Some pretty famous people have been given a symbolic key to the city of Chicago.

And then there's this guy, the Chicago Harbor Lock lock Nestor.

He controls access to the city's real front gate, so to speak.

That gate is the Chicago Life.

A 600 foot long, 80 foot wide chamber that separates the Chicago River from Lake Michigan.

It's the second busiest harbor lock in the nation.

And it's right there next to me deep here.

Everyone was built in the 1930's is part of project that things the Pere first love the Chicago River the whole point of that engineering feat was to keep waste water out of the lake.

But what about other floaters, namely the thousands of boats that travel back and forth between the river and lake every year.

The lack manage is that traffic and not just to avoid gridlock, it's needed because the river is anywhere from one 4 feet lower than the lake.

So I think that the law is an elevator boats in the river, a basically ground level and the law gives them the boost.

They to get to the lake.

Here's how it works.

Boats coming from the river line up in a holding area outside the lock waiting for signals.

A red light means do not enter yellow gives government and commercial boats the okay to move into the lock and green means go for recreational boaters.

As many as 100 boats can feel the lok at one time once everyone's in position that elevator operator likeness or shut the gate behind them to cut off the river.

Next.

The gate to the cracked open lake water slowly fills the lack of votes ride with the rising level.

>> Once the lock is even with the lake, the gates open wide and boats exit into the open water.

>> The steps to reverse for folks returning to the river from the lake.

They had the Watergate are back down to a different level.

The whole process takes about 10 to 15 minutes and it's repeated more than 10,000 times, every boating season, another hardworking feat of engineering from this city that works.

>> And watch more of our W T Tw News explains series.

Visit our Web site W t Tw Dot com Slash explains.

And that's our show for this Wednesday night.

Join us tomorrow night at 5, 30 10 now for all of us here at Chicago Brandis Friedman, thanks for watching.

Stay healthy and safe.

>> And have a good night.

>> Closed captioning is made possible by Robert a cliff and Clifford law Chicago, personal injury and wrongful death with more than 40 years of