Crowded hallways and spotty masking at Chicago Public Schools

Axios Chicago has a lot of correspondents in Chicago Public Schools. This week, one of them sent pictures of crowded hallways that they call "typical."

What they're saying: The source, who asked not to be named because they were not authorized to take photos inside a school, sent Axios several photos along with reports of crowding and lax mask enforcement.

• They noted students wearing masks under their noses, a lack of social distancing in the lunchroom and teachers taking off their masks in class.

Why it matters: In the last five weeks, COVID has infected 1,639 CPS students and staff and put 7,005 in quarantine.

The latest: New CPS CEO Pedro Martinez says he's dedicated to getting things under control, but CPS did not respond to Axios' requests for comments on the crowding and masking allegations.

• We have also been unsuccessfully requesting access to schools to see for ourselves for weeks.

📫 Email [email protected] to tell us what you have seen at local schools — good or bad.