Chicago Public Schools investigates electioneering allegations at elementary school event

Parents and members of a Local School Council are calling for sanctions against the Common Ground Collective following allegations of electioneering at a back-to-school festival at Peirce Elementary School. Complainants allege the group used an arts and crafts table to distribute materials containing QR codes that led to political endorsements for the upcoming school board election.

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) strictly prohibits political campaigning on school grounds, and the district’s ethics office is currently investigating the incident. A spokesperson for the Common Ground Collective stated that the group’s nonprofit arm, which funded the event's DJ, is separate from its political arms, and argued that formal endorsements were not posted until after the event.

The controversy occurs as Chicago prepares for a November 3 election to elect all 21 members of the school board for the first time. The election is viewed by some as a challenge to the influence of the Chicago Teachers Union and Mayor Brandon Johnson. To date, approximately $3.3 million has been raised by school board candidates.