Chicago Tribune Opinion Friday, March 13, 2026 | | |
| | | | | Happy Friday, Chicago. Are you planning to go to work Friday, May 1? The Chicago Teachers Union isn’t, and they’re calling on students to join their May Day protest that will likely mean many teachers are out of the classroom on a school day. The editorial board says Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Board of Education should insist kids and teachers go to class. Starbucks founder Howard Schultz recently announced he is leaving Washington state for Florida as lawmakers in Washington move toward enacting a wealth tax. The board explores the trend of wealthy residents voting with their feet as blue states pursue new taxes on top earners — and why Illinois hasn’t followed that path, thanks to Gov. JB Pritzker. In our opinion section, Chicago legal scholar Pegah Banihashemi describes the emotional toll of the U.S.-Israel war with Iran from the perspective of Iranians abroad, waiting anxiously for news from family members as airstrikes intensify and political uncertainty deepens inside the country. Columnist David Greising argues Chicago’s weak leadership has pushed the Bears toward Arlington Heights or Hammond — and that state leaders should press for a Bronzeville stadium that could transform the South Side. Finally, Christopher Greenwood warns that payday loan apps marketed as “earned wage access” are pulling Illinois workers into cycles of fees and debt, a digital version of the payday lending traps the state once outlawed. Don’t forget to check out reader letters. — Hilary Gowins, editorial board member Submit an op-ed | Submit a letter to the editor | Meet the Tribune Editorial Board | Subscribe to this newsletter | | | | CTU is also encouraging students to join in their protest and calling upon the Board of Education and Mayor Brandon Johnson to allow middle and high school students an excused absence to do so. | | | | | New York and Washington state are on the cusp of major tax increases on corporations and the wealthy. Illinois isn’t thanks mainly to its governor. | | | | | For many Iranians, the new supreme leader has long been viewed as a shadowy figure operating behind the scenes of the nation’s politics. | | | | | The Bears have publicly made their dalliance with Indiana known since at least December, and Chicago’s mayor has not put up much of a fight. | | | | | Illinois got rid of storefront payday loans. But savvy marketing campaigns have tricked consumers into turning back to paying to get paid. | | | | | You needn’t have Irish blood to wear green and make merry because celebrating “Irishness” has come to mean embracing fun and community. | | | |
