Are you concerned that the torrent of leftist rhetoric making President Trump out to be an authoritarian, a tyrant, and a fascist is legitimating political violence? Well, what if a major American city were to spend a week or so preaching about Trump’s supposed fascism to its hundreds of thousands of students, afterwards gathering them at political rallies to protest the Trump administration, . . . oh, and to celebrate a famous socialist holiday as well? Too partisan? Too dangerous? Too extreme? Won’t happen. Sorry, welcome to Chicago 2026 and the bottom of the slippery slope known as “action civics.”

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The semi-insane plans of the socialist-friendly 30,000-strong Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) to do all of the above this May Day drew national attention early last month. The controversy largely faded from national discussion, however, when Chicago Public Schools (CPS) refused to suspend classes for political rallies on May Day. In truth, however, after tough negotiations, the teachers’ union has won. Technically, classes will be held on May 1. But the agreement struck by the CTU and CPS  requires CPS to provide food and transportation for students from at least 100 schools to attend anti-Trump rallies on May 1. Many thousands of students are expected. What’s more, future May Days are to be set aside for “teacher professional development” — meaning classes will be out, and teachers will be able to lead students in leftist political demonstrations, as CTU plans to do.

Dueling press releases by the CTU and CPS have obscured the truth and tamped down the public response. But the fact is that a socialist-friendly teachers’ union has managed to set aside May Day and its run-up for years to come for the partisan political indoctrination of students. In addition to leveraging its bargaining power, the CTU has cleverly co-opted a new state law allowing students one day off a year to “engage in a civic event.” What was initially billed as an ideologically neutral opportunity for “civic engagement” is being used by a radical union to turn students into partisan foot soldiers.

Ten years ago, Illinois became the first state to mandate “action civics” (political protest or lobbying as a required project for civics class). In the decade since, the state........

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