CHICAGO – Chicago Public School officials say they're cancelling classes ahead of Monday's bitter cold temperatures, after first saying they would be open.
The reversal comes after withering criticism from the Chicago Teachers Union, though officials say they made the decision after "evaluated the situation again."
City officials said earlier Sunday that schools would be open on Monday, but parents could choose to keep their children home.
Temperatures were expected to dip to minus 15 degrees on Monday, with wind chills of 40 to 50 below zero possible. The city also was walloped by snow on Sunday.
City emergency officials had warned residents to stay indoors on Monday. Many Chicago students must walk to schools.
Chicago Schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett says closing is "in the best interest of our students."
The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal.
