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Pritzker indicates he favors elected Chicago school board bill (Updated x3)

Thursday, Mar 7, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From Gov. Pritzker’s press conference today…

Q: Today, the House is expected to vote on the Chicago elected school board implementation. Literally, what we’ve seen the last couple of days, there’s been some division among the Democrats on which plan works better. Obviously, they voted on the hybrid model. So this appears to be another issue where we’ve seen the division of Democrats in the legislature as of late. So with this hybrid model, with this school board issue, where do you stand on this and what does this division in this latest issue say about the state of the Democratic Party?

Um, only two Senate Democrats voted against the bill on Tuesday. They have structured roll calls with more conflict than that.

But, yes, there was a strong disagreement between the two Democratic-dominated chambers about this issue for months. In the end, they worked it out and decided to get something done before the deadline.

* Pritzker didn’t respond to the Dems in disarray part, but he did say that he’s long supported an elected school board, and said he could support the current version as well. “Either way, I think the city of Chicago is doing the right thing,” he said. “The Chicago Public Schools will be better led by people who are representative of the people and not just appointed by the mayor of the city of Chicago.”

…Adding… And it’s important to note that the final vote has been more about a disagreement over foreign policy with the mayor than party differences over the bill itself…

Morgan rips the union and Brandon Johnson for saying he is "proud" of actions by other students that have made Jewish CPS students feel unsafe in their schools. "Where is the accountability for the antisemitism in Chicago Public Schools?" #twill https://t.co/KtLllwLGCN

— Ben Szalinski (@BenSzalinski) March 7, 2024

Also, Rep. Jaime Andrade (D-Chicago) is now asking about the CPS policy going forward on selective enrollment schools, not an elected school board.

…Adding… The House just passed the bill 75-31-3.

…Adding… Speaker Chris Welch…

“With the passage of this legislation, we made history and we’re charting a brighter future for generations to come. Chicagoans in every part of the city can begin to circulate petitions to run for their school board in just three weeks and this November every Chicagoan will be able to vote for an elected representative who will answer to them. Today, we were able to keep our promise to allow every Chicagoan to have a say in their school board.

“I want to thank Rep. Ann Williams and the entire CPS Districting Work Group for getting this historic proposal across the finish line. It’s been a long, deliberate process, but this House Working group stood by the compromises that made this elected school board possible after years of negation. Thank you for your hard work and thank you for your continued commitment to getting this right for the children and families of Chicago.”

11 Comments

- PublicServant - Thursday, Mar 7, 24 @ 12:21 pm:
I’m always skeptical when positions on an issue change from before the CTU got their guy elected (for an elected school board), to after he became mayor (for some appointees made by the mayor). Seems to me that they know he’s in their pocket, and they aren’t really the pro-people advocates they profess to be.

- Just Me 2 - Thursday, Mar 7, 24 @ 12:32 pm:
Fixed it for him, “The Chicago Public Schools will be led by people who are representative of its employees due to them being appointed by the mayor of the city of Chicago who is also from their lobbying team.”

- Three Dimensional Checker - Thursday, Mar 7, 24 @ 12:50 pm:
Mayor Blagojevich.

- Juice - Thursday, Mar 7, 24 @ 12:54 pm:
PublicServant-in defense of the CTU, at least their change of position was less of a complete reversal than Mayor Lightfoot’s once she got into office.

- Former Downstater - Thursday, Mar 7, 24 @ 1:02 pm:
What specific anti-sematic incident(s) is Rep. Morgan referencing?

I don’t have Twitter/X/whatever they call it now and was not able to find anything through a Google search.

- Rich Miller - Thursday, Mar 7, 24 @ 1:12 pm:
===and was not able to find anything through a Google search. ===

You definitely need to update your Google skills. This was high up in the news search

https://www.jta.org/2024/02/21/united-states/chicago-school-district-where-students-walked-out-to-protest-israel-hamas-war-now-faces-federal-title-vi-investigation

- Local Person - Thursday, Mar 7, 24 @ 1:19 pm:
There’s not any anti-Semitic acts there outlined though, Rich. Certainly not anything that would qualify as “unchecked.”

- Original Rambler - Thursday, Mar 7, 24 @ 1:29 pm:
This is disappointing. Should have been fully elected. Wish Harmon had stood by the original pre-mayoral election bill. The mayor’s appointees will be highly scrutinized and be very telling if he is the tool of the CTU or a mayor for all residents.

- Rich Miller - Thursday, Mar 7, 24 @ 1:31 pm:
===Should have been fully elected===

It kinda is, except for the chair. 10 members will be elected in the first round in ten districts that cover the entire city. 10 more will be appointed. Those districts will be split in half in two years.

- Rahm's Parking Meter - Thursday, Mar 7, 24 @ 3:27 pm:
Local Person, don’t question my friend, Rep. Morgan’s intent. For those of us who are close to the situation, CTU has their hands dirty on the pre ceasefire resolution semantics, no matter which way they tried to hide it. Good for the Department of Ed.

- SWSider - Thursday, Mar 7, 24 @ 4:06 pm:
==For those of us who are close to the situation, CTU==

Not sure how CTU members voting in support of a ceasefire shows there’s rampant problems in CPS.

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