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Hello!

This is Mila Koumpilova at Chalkbeat here in Chicago. We have now entered high-intensity school board candidate debate season. Case in point: This week, there were two school board president candidate forums on the same day.

Earlier this year, I tuned in to a couple such forums, where the tone was really courteous and the focus squarely on the issues facing the district. It’s safe to say that the gloves have since come off. My colleague Makiya Seminera and WBEZ’s Emmanuel Camarillo summed up the takeaways from one of those debates featuring the three contenders to serve as the city’s first elected school board president. Not surprisingly, attacks that the candidates traded about each other’s backgrounds stood out. In a twist, two candidates joined forces to accuse the third of resurfacing controversies from their pasts to undermine their campaigns.

As always, reach us with any tips or feedback at [email protected].

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Evanston/Skokie School District 65 proposes closure of 2 elementary schools, Chicago Sun-Times

All defendants in former D65 Superintendent Horton case have pleaded guilty, alerting trial, Chicago Tribune (Paywall)

Former CPS security guard sentenced to 10 years for sexually assaulting two students, CWB Chicago