CPS CEO Pedro Martinez headed to court after Chicago School Board votes to fire him
Martinez's lawyer says he is asking a judge to guarantee that no one can stand in the way of Martinez doing his job while he is still in office.
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Martinez's lawyer says he is asking a judge to guarantee that no one can stand in the way of Martinez doing his job while he is still in office.
As it stands, Martinez will be able to stay in his role as CEO for another six months. As Sabrina Franza reports, Martinez's lawyer says he is asking a judge to guarantee that no one—not someone on the Board and not a possible co-CEO—can stand in the way of Martinez doing his job for those six months.
Also in political headlines, three key members of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s inner circle are leaving. Political Reporter Chris Tye reports.
Several City Council members have called the school board's vote to fire Martinez without cause reckless and irresponsible.
Following a 90-minute closed-door session at Friday night's special meeting, the board voted 6-0 to terminate Martinez without cause and ended the meeting without further discussion.
Because Martinez was fired without cause, his contract allows him to stay on the job for another six months, and receive 20 weeks of severance pay.
The school board unanimously voted to provide the funding needed to keep seven Acero charter schools open next year, before transforming five of them into district-run schools starting in the 2026-27 school year.
Santa got an assist from Chicago Public Schools’ Children First Fund to make the holiday happen for the kids from preschool to third grade.
Martinez was at Luther Burbank Elementary, 2035 N. Mobile Ave., as the Special Olympics recognized the school for excellence in inclusive sports programming.
It was business as usual for Martinez on Thursday, as he visited Burbank Elementary as the school was honored by the Special Olympics.
Many, including alderpersons and the members of the incoming elected school board, are denouncing the planned agenda.
Many, including alderpersons and the members of the incoming elected school board, are denouncing the planned agenda. Sara Machi reports.
Chicago Public Schools are in the thick of a new security plan, after removing police officers from schools this school year.
Sean Harden was sworn in as a CPS board member last week.
It was not clear Thursday night whether Sean Harden will be president of the board.
At the state of the Chicago Board of Education meeting Thursday night, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s final pick for the board, Sean Harden, was sworn in. Jermont Terry reports.
It took four years for the CPS Office of the Inspector General to investigate and publish a report—which is overwhelmingly critical of the Office of Student Protections and CPS.
It took four years for the CPS Office of the Inspector General to investigate and publish a report on the firings of the former Lincoln Park High School administrators. As Sabrina Franza reports, the report is overwhelmingly critical of the Office of Student Protections and CPS.
Activists say the plan to close the schools is placing thousands of kids in limbo.
Students, parents, and teachers who rallied Wednesday night took their concerns about the planned closure of seven schools directly to the Acero charter school board. Jermont Terry reports.
The shopping trip acme courtesy of the afterschool program By the Hand Club, which works with children in under-resourced neighborhoods.
Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36th) is asking the board to hold off on decisions such as whether to fire Chicago Public Schools Chief Executive Officer Pedro Martinez until a new and partially-elected board takes office.
This includes a decision on the future of Chicago Public Schools Chief Executive Officer Pedro Martinez.
Mayor Johnson has explicitly denied asking Martinez to resign, and only the Chicago Board of Education can fire him. Reports now say Martinez has been offered a buyout, but did not take the offer.
Reports now say Pedro Martinez has been offered a buyout, but did not take the offer.
A Chicago police officer was shot in the protective vest in the city's Morgan Park neighborhood, while officers also shot a suspected gunman, and police said a teen was shot twice.
Brandt Clarke scored twice to help Los Angeles break out of an offensive funk, Darcy Kuemper made 23 saves and the Kings beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-0 on Saturday night to split a two-game set.
His father, Rod, is an NHL great who is currently the head coach of the Wolves' affiliate, the Carolina Hurricanes.
Families who have lost loved ones serving in the U.S. military were treated to a trip to Walt Disney World.
Des Plaines police said the USPS driver claimed that he temporarily lost control of his vehicle, leading to the crash.
Two people who survived an early September U.S. attack on an alleged drug boat were waving overhead before they were killed in a now-controversial second strike, according to two sources.
The Supreme Court said Friday it will decide the legality of President Trump's executive order that seeks to end birthright citizenship.
President Trump has led the charge to create more GOP-friendly congressional districts in the 2026 midterm elections.
Illinois Senator Dick Durbin is set to retire in 2026, but before he leaves Congress he is making one last attempt to pass the DREAM Act.
Former Chicago Tribune publisher and editor-in-chief R. Bruce Dold passed away this week.
A condo owner in Country Club Hills says he's forced to sell his home after his condo association failed to reimburse him for repairs to his leaking roof. Edward Hadnott's condo has sat empty since a major roof leak in 2022.
The U.S. stopped minting pennies this week, and some groups have issued a warning about the headaches that can create for some businesses and consumers.
Why is one school in the west Chicago suburb of Lisle paying a water bill three times higher than another? The answer has to do with a private utility company.
The Food and Drug Administration is warning about additional cookware brands that could be leaching lead into your food.
Walgreens said it will close its office space in Chicago's Old Post Office building.
The newest measles vaccination numbers released by Chicago Public Schools shows immunizations are finally moving in the right direction.
Two pregnant Black women recently faced alarming neglect at hospitals in Indiana and Texas, highlighting racial disparities in maternal care.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday signed a bill aimed at protecting vaccine access in Illinois.
Roseland Community Hospital on Monday celebrated the opening of a new sickle cell treatment clinic.
Consumers with the imported pans should throw them away due to the severe health risks posed by lead, the agency warns.
U.S. Steel says it'll resume making steel slabs at its Granite City Works plant in Illinois amid strengthening demand.
Traffic at O'Hare International Airport is growing faster than expected, and this has Chicago city leaders wanting to make big changes to future construction plans at the airport.
Small Business Saturday was disrupted by the winter storm for many business owners in Chicago, but in the Rogers Park neighborhood, a group of business owners came together to draw customers.
Three different times over the past year, popular and longstanding Chicago stage theater spaces have made headlines for their demise. But it's not all bad news by any stretch.
A federal judge has called out an immigration enforcement agent for using artificial intelligence to write the narrative of a use-of-force report as just a small part of a scathing opinion that rebutted federal officials' narratives about appropriate force used against protesters and others during an ongoing immigration crackdown in Chicago.
Frank Gehry was known for designing the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.
Netflix on Friday said it will acquire Warner Bros., including its film and television studios, HBO Max and HBO.
Starting Wednesday, riders on the Chicago Transit Authority system will hear a recognizable Chicago voice during their commutes.
Three different times over the past year, popular and longstanding Chicago stage theater spaces have made headlines for their demise. But it's not all bad news by any stretch.
Joe Colborn, better known as Joe "JoBo" Bohannon on Chicago radio, died this week.
A Chicago police officer was shot in the protective vest in the city's Morgan Park neighborhood, while officers also shot a suspected gunman, and police said a teen was shot twice. Asal Rezaei reports.
Meteorologist Mary Kay Kleist has your 6 a.m. First Alert Weather forecast for Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025.
The village's tree lighting event brought plenty of holiday spirit and a Christmas parade.
The annual Snowball Express event was put together in partnership by the Gary Sinise Foundation and American Airlines.
Saturday morning’s eruption sent lava fountains up to 100 feet high.
A Chicago police officer was shot in the protective vest in Morgan Park, while officers also shot a suspected gunman, and police said a teen was shot twice.
A winter weather advisory will take effect overnight for the Chicago area and parts of Indiana. Here's what you can expect.
Elgin police officers were told by the agent that the crash occurred while they were conducting an enforcement activity.
Des Plaines police said the USPS driver claimed that he temporarily lost control of his vehicle, leading to the crash.
A man and a woman were charged after authorities said they buried an infant child at a home in Wilmington, Illinois, last year.
A Chicago woman battling ALS said she's been struggling just to get a disabled parking space in front of her Bridgeport home.
Days after new Cook County Chief Judge Charles Beach ordered an urgent review of the county's electronic monitoring program, Sheriff Tom Dart said this crisis isn't new, and that he's been warning lawmakers of problems for years.
Charles Beach was sworn in on Monday as Cook County's first new chief judge in 24 years, and takes over amid a political firestorm over what appears to be systemic issues with how accused criminals are being monitored before trial.
Some Chicagoans found out the hard way on Monday that the overnight winter parking ban is in effect.
The electronic monitoring system in Cook County has come under increased scrutiny, after a woman was set on fire in a horrific arson attack on the Blue Line, with critics demanding answers as to why the suspect wasn't already behind bars.
Brandt Clarke scored twice to help Los Angeles break out of an offensive funk, Darcy Kuemper made 23 saves and the Kings beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-0 on Saturday night to split a two-game set.
His father, Rod, is an NHL great who is currently the head coach of the Wolves' affiliate, the Carolina Hurricanes.
Pascal Siakam scored a season-high 36 points, Bennedict Mathurin added 28 and the Indiana Pacers beat the struggling Chicago Bulls 120-105 on Friday night.
Sitting in 1st-place in the NFC standings isn't the only feel-good story for the Bears, as cornerback Nahshon Wright was named the conference's Defensive Player of the Month.
The Bulls dropped to 9-12 with their fifth loss in a row.
A Chicago police officer was shot in the protective vest in the city's Morgan Park neighborhood, while officers also shot a suspected gunman, and police said a teen was shot twice.
The special edition locket was inspired by the James Bond film "Octopussy," which revolves around a plot to steal a rare Faberge egg.
Authorities say the FBI has arrested a man suspected of placing pipe bombs outside RNC and DNC headquarters on the eve of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
A woman from Chicago's northwest suburbs appeared in court Thursday for a shooting that killed another woman in the South Loop in September.
The man charged with pushing a CTA passenger onto the tracks at a Blue Line station in Chicago's western suburbs on Monday was ordered held in jail, after repeatedly interrupting the judge and prosecutors during his first court appearance on Wednesday.
