
CPS CEO Macquline King Appears Before Congressional Committee
Clip: 6/10/2026 | 3m 47sVideo has Closed Captions
She defended Chicago Public Schools in her opening statements.
Chicago Public Schools CEO Macquline King defended the school district in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday amid congressional criticism of CPS support for trans students and “ideological agendas.”
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CPS CEO Macquline King Appears Before Congressional Committee
Clip: 6/10/2026 | 3m 47sVideo has Closed Captions
Chicago Public Schools CEO Macquline King defended the school district in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday amid congressional criticism of CPS support for trans students and “ideological agendas.”
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship>> The head of Chicago Public Schools made an appearance on Capitol Hill today.
Ceo Macklin King was responding to a subpoena from the U.S.
House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Lawmakers questioned her on district policies regarding transgender students.
The black student success plan and May Day protests.
Here's some of the opening statements from King and Committee Chair Tim Walberg.
>> And when classrooms become vehicles for political.
Or logical agendas.
Congress has a responsibility to ask questions.
Being a product of Cook County School system myself.
Thankfully not the Chicago public School system of today.
>> Chicago schools reflect the very best of our nation and our city diverse dynamic and strengthened by people of different backgrounds, cultures, languages and fates.
>> Our Matt Masterson joins us now with more.
Matt, remind us why was King subpoenaed by this House committee?
Tim Walberg, the Republican head of this committee had asked King to appear voluntarily multiple times in the past, but she had refused citing scheduling conflicts and the Trump administration's ongoing investigations into Chicago public schools over its trans gender student protections and its black student success plan.
Some Republicans on the committee and the Trump administration feel that those policies violate federal civil rights laws because they discriminate against non trans students down black students respectively.
And they had questions about this for King sought to ask these 2 multiple times in the past and with a subpoena, she had no choice but to appear.
>> So Republican lawmakers, they asked a number of questions about district policies relating to transgender students.
These included questions about locker room use and whether or not parents should be notified if a student, if their child is transitioning genders, had it can respond to.
Those King repeatedly said to the committee that all district policies fall in line with Illinois State law.
That was her response to several questions about whether trans students are allowed to use the bathrooms or locker rooms that meet their gender identity.
>> Whether they are allowed to go on field trips and sleep in the same room as students of the same gender is them and whether or not CPS teachers have never lied to parents about the names that students transitioning students use while they're in school.
King said she never heard of any instance of teachers lying to parents about this, but she repeated the line over and over again that CPS policies fall in line with state law.
And wasn't pleasant response from many of the congressman who wanted more from her.
But that was the line that she kept She was questions.
What the Democrats on the committee asked Democrats are far more welcoming as you might imagine.
They asked about parent engagement with CPS about some of the student achievement and some of the success, the positives of the Black Student Success Plan which seeks to improve learning experiences and outcomes for its black students.
King.
Repeatedly touted that program and she said that there is a wealth of diversity and engagement experiences and needs throughout the CPS student body and that school district does everything that it can to meet those needs and provide for all the students that can.
>> So this year's May day protests also came up.
What happened in those exchanges?
Right?
As sure you remember, CPS and CTU went back and forth about allowing students or teachers to attend.
This CPS did hold classes that day but allowed students and educators to attend the International Workers Day rally downtown.
>> Some of the Congress people spoke today about how the district allowed students to attend a political rally.
They said this was politically slanted because there are many Anti-Trump signs and many Anti-Trump slogans that were chanting there.
But Ken maintained that this was not a political rally, that this was simply an international workers day events in that students were allowed to go for it for that reason.
Okay.
That Masterson, thanks so much.
Thanks for
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