HIGHLIGHT: ILLINOIS
Chicago: Chicago Public Schools students began their return to the classroom Monday as school doors opened to thousands of pre-kindergarten and some special education students for the first time since last March. “It is our city’s first day of embarking on our path to returning to in-person learning,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said at a Southwest Side elementary school, where students wore face coverings, and desks had sneeze guard barriers. The Chicago Teachers Union has opposed reopening over safety concerns. District officials argue distance learning doesn’t work well for all, particularly many Black and Latino students.