It’s finally Friday, and I feel like I’ve aged five years in the last five days. Here’s what you need to know today. (PS: You can have this delivered to your inbox by subscribing here.)

1. Illinois schools violated rules over physically restraining students

An investigation of 100 school districts by the Chicago Tribune and ProPublica found the practice of physically restraining students was often misused and put kids at risk. Most restrained children had behavioral or intellectual disabilities, a quarter of interventions began without a documented safety reason and students were sometimes held face down on the floor, according to the investigation.

“In 50,000 pages of school records reviewed by reporters, aides and teachers documented numerous injuries to the children they had restrained: Cuts on the students’ hands, scratches on necks and noses. Collarbones that hurt to touch. Knots on their heads and split lips. Sore ankles and wrists,” report the Trib and ProPublica. [Chicago Tribune]

2. Did Russia influence Trump’s view of Ukraine?

Former White House officials said they feared President Donald Trump’s belief that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 election was influenced by Russian President Vladi­mir Putin, according to The Washington Post.

“After meeting privately in July 2017 with Russian President Vladi­mir Putin at the Group of 20 summit in Hamburg, Trump grew more insistent that Ukraine worked to defeat him, according to multiple former officials familiar with his assertions,” the Post reports.

One of the unnamed ex-White House officials said Trump believed the theory, which has been debunked by the U.S. intelligence community, because “Putin told me.” [Washington Post]

Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi invited Trump to give his State of the Union address on Feb. 4. [NPR]

And a new report on Trump’s signature tax cut found that more than 60% of tax savings benefited the top 20% of earners. [NPR]

3. Here’s a recap of the Democratic presidential debate

It’s been a great week to be a civics major. A day after the House impeached Trump, there was a [squints at notes] sixth Democratic presidential debate with the seven top candidates.

Last night’s debate, co-hosted by PBS NewsHour and Politico, did not include many fireworks over impeachment because all the candidates don’t think Trump should be in office.

But there were heated exchanges between Sen. Elizabeth Warren and South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, notably over fundraising and something called a “wine cave.” That’s one of NPR’s six takeaways from the debate. You can find the rest here. [NPR]

4. U.K. Parliament paves the way for Brexit

With British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Conservative Party in control of Parliament, the House of Commons today overwhelmingly approved a plan to withdraw from the European Union on Jan. 31. The plan now goes to the House of Lords, which is expected to give its approval. [BBC]

Today’s vote marks a monumental milestone for the U.K., which has struggled to form a plan to divorce from the EU since voters approved the Brexit referendum in 2016.

The New York Times writes that Johnson invoked Greek mythology and comic strips when he compared Brexit delays to “a torture that came to resemble Lucy snatching away Charlie Brown’s football or Prometheus chained to the Tartarean crag, his liver pecked out by an eagle.” [New York Times]

5. Last-minute reminder of weed rules

You might want to check this out if you were thinking of bringing a bong to the office after Jan. 1, when recreational marijuana becomes legal in Illinois. That’s because your boss could still fire you if your employer has a zero-tolerance policy. You also can’t smoke pot in public spaces, like parks or even in a car. [Chicago Tribune]

Meanwhile, the Chicago Police Department told cops not to ticket people who are toking up on their porches or in their backyards. Just two weeks ago, the Police Department said it would ticket folks for just that, but Mayor Lori Lightfoot and interim police Superintendent Charlie Beck said that would no longer be the case. [Chicago Sun-Times]

Here’s what else is happening

• An ex-Chicago cop was found guilty of second-degree murder for a 2017 off-duty shooting. [Chicago Tribune]

• A decision by the Illinois Supreme Court could shed more light on the state’s “shoddy prison health care practices.” [WBEZ]

• People enrolled in Cook County’s government-run Medicaid insurance plan may soon have fewer options for where they can get some complicated surgeries. [WBEZ]

• A Chicago photographer went to Hong Kong to witness the civil unrest in person. [WBEZ]

Oh, and one more thing …

What’s this on my computer screen? Another BEST OF 2019 list?

Nerdette host Greta Johnsen shares her favorite books of the year. Her top 10 list includes comedian Jenny Slate’s Little Weirds as well as She Said, which recounts the New York Times investigation into sexual harassment allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.

It’s a great list that’s worth checking out if you’re looking for a reason to check out over the holidays. [WBEZ]

Tell me something good …

What are you doing for the holidays?

@Tom_McVey tweets:

“Hey Hunter, I saw you were asking about holiday plans in yesterday’s Rundown. My girlfriend and I threw on a suit and cocktail dress to celebrate our last day of work for the year and headed to Wing Hoe in Uptown for the finest egg rolls and Polynesian drinks.”

Thank you so much to everyone who chimed in this week, and happy holidays!

Thanks for reading and have a nice night! We’ll see you next week.