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April 5, 2024

Paying School Board, NASCAR Traffic Plan, and New Chicago Reads

City Cast Chicago

Paying School Board, NASCAR Traffic Plan, and New Chicago Reads

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Chicago’s first school board elections take place this November. But now that we have a district map, election plan, and potential candidates are gathering signatures, one big question remains: Will school board members eventually be paid for their service? Currently, state law prohibits paying board members, but host Jacoby Cochran asks professor Arionne Nettles and Tribune’s Gregory Royal Pratt if Illinois should reconsider this in order to create a more diverse and inclusive candidate pool. Plus, we are looking ahead at NASCAR’s July street race, Mayor Johnson’s plan to convert downtown offices into apartments, initiatives to make Ramadan more eco-friendly, and two new Chicago books to read this spring!

Books you should check out: 


Our episode where we attended iftar at the Muslim Community Center. 

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