* Education reporters Sarah Karp and Nader Issa broke the story…
The entire Chicago Board of Education is resigning, a stunning development after months of acrimony that clears the way for Mayor Brandon Johnson to appoint a new board that will likely follow his orders — fire schools CEO Pedro Martinez, make a contract deal with the Chicago Teachers Union and take a loan to cover a city pension payment and the teachers’ contract this year.
Johnson’s staff confirmed Friday in an exclusive interview that the expected resignations of all seven board members are to come once he names replacements — which his office later said will be announced at a South Side church Monday morning. WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times first reported the possibility of resignations this past Monday.
In the interview, the mayor fought back against the idea that this was a power grab. In the face of a budget shortfall at CPS, Johnson said the historically underfunded school district needs more state money. That’s rather than relying on cuts or furloughs — options Martinez has privately floated to make ends meet this year.
“This is not about a loan,” Johnson said. “It is about investing in our children and not accepting cuts like for too long in this district. Guess who loses when we cut schools? Black and Brown children. I don’t want Black and Brown children to lose under my administration. In fact, they’re not going to lose under my administration. I’m going to fight for them.”
* ICYMI: Check out our coverage from yesterday…
* WTTW…
Deputy Mayor for Education Jen Johnson told WTTW News that the mayor did not fire all seven board members, but reached an agreement that the time was right for them to depart.
“They have done the work the mayor asked them to do,” said Jen Johnson, who is not related to the mayor. “We met our shared objectives, and now is the time to transition to the new board.”
Jen Johnson disputed the notion that the nation’s largest school district was engulfed in turmoil, blaming the mayor’s political foes for pushing that narrative in the news media.
“We have seen what chaos looks like,” Jen Johnson said, listing the closure of 50 schools in 2013 as an example of actual chaos. “This is manufactured chaos from those who want to relitigate the mayor’s victory.”
* Tribune…
Chicago Board of Education President Jianan Shi, along with members Elizabeth Todd-Breland, Mariela Estrada, Mary Fahey Hughes, Rudy Lozano Jr., Michelle Morales and Tanya Woods informed the mayor’s office of their resignations, the mayor’s office announced in a statement Friday. The extraordinary shake-up clears the mayor to reappoint the entire school board.
“Mayor Brandon Johnson and members of the Chicago Board of Education are enacting a transition plan which includes all current members transitioning from service on the Board later this month,” the statement said. “With the shift to a hybrid elected and appointed Board forthcoming, current Board members and Mayor Johnson understand that laying a strong foundation for the shift is necessary to serve the best interests of students and families in Chicago Public Schools.” […]
Reached by phone, Shi declined to comment. Martinez issued a statement Friday afternoon that did not address his fate as CEO but thanked the seven outgoing board members for their service.
“I know that families and staff may have concerns about what this means for the future of our District,” the schools chief wrote. “Please know that regardless of the makeup of the Board of Education, my team and I remain focused on the work: robust teaching and learning, building on the great momentum we’ve seen in students’ academic gains, and continuing to realize our vision of a District where every student has a rigorous, high-quality, and joyful learning experience.”
* WBEZ…
“What’s astounding is that he controls the whole table, and he’s still incapable of properly managing not just CPS but the whole situation,” said Ald. Scott Waguespack, 32nd Ward, who has become a frequent critic of Johnson. “He was in full control.”
Ald. Andre Vasquez, 40th Ward, a progressive who has grown increasingly critical of Johnson, echoed Waguespack’s disbelief.
“It’s pretty astounding, because it’s a fully appointed board, and for that to be a response to how things are going is definitely alarming,” Vasquez said. “If this is based on, fundamentally, CPS CEO Martinez and board members being against taking out a high-interest, short-term loan, I believe they’re right.”
Ald. Byron Sigcho Lopez, 25th Ward, a close ally of Johnson’s, pushed back against the idea that this is an embarrassment for Johnson. Instead, he shifted blame to the state, arguing that if Illinois allocated enough money to CPS, the city wouldn’t have to consider taking out a loan in the first place.
* Chalkbeat…
Board members have declined to comment publicly on Martinez’s clash with Brandon Johnson, but the board has in recent months backed Martinez in a couple of decisions that defied the mayor’s wishes. That includes adopting this year’s budget, as well as declining Johnson’s request for CPS to take out a short-term loan to cover some upcoming costs. […]
If the mayor’s intention is to install a new board in order to fire Martinez, it would “be a group that has never evaluated [Martinez], has never worked with him,” according to a source familiar with the situation who was not authorized to speak with the press. “They don’t know any of his work, they haven’t been part of any of these conversations.”
That source also noted that new board members typically have an orientation, which could be difficult to wedge in before the board’s first meeting. […]
Deputy Mayor Johnson declined to specify the exact date of departure for each current board member, calling the latter a “personal decision” for each person.
A CPS central office staffer, who was not authorized to speak with the press, said the board “doesn’t want to undermine the mayor publicly” and feels board members were pressured to leave for not adhering to the mayor’s wishes. Another source familiar with the situation, also not authorized to speak with the media, questioned the official explanation.
* NBC Chicago…
Martinez offered the following statement to CPS staff and families in wake of the resignations:
Earlier today, all seven members of the Chicago Board of Education announced that they plan to resign their positions in the very near future. I want to take this opportunity to thank all seven of these individuals for their vision and their leadership — Board President Jianan Shi, Vice President Elizabeth Todd-Breland, Mariela Estrada, Mary Fahey Hughes, Rudy Lozano, Jr., Michelle Morales, and Tanya D. Woods.
I am sincerely grateful to each one of these dedicated, civic-minded public servants who have volunteered their time, their expertise, their experience, and their energy to supporting our system and serving more than 324,000 students.
School board members — who are not paid for their work — review thousands of policies and proposals each year and spend additional time researching, asking questions, and offering input before voting on major decisions, including the District’s annual budget, and more recently, the District’s five-year strategic plan, ‘Success 2029: Together We Rise,’ which this board approved just 19 days ago.
I want to salute these Board members in particular for their steadfast dedication to ensuring greater equity in our system, emphasizing our collective responsibility to improve the quality of education for those who are furthest from opportunity.
I want to extend my special thanks to Board Vice President Todd-Breland, who has been a board member since 2019, for her leadership through the COVID-19 pandemic and in the aftermath. She worked to restore services and lead academic recovery efforts that have yielded some of the biggest gains among large urban districts.
I know that families and staff may have concerns about what this means for the future of our District. Please know that regardless of the makeup of the Board of Education, my team and I remain focused on the work: robust teaching and learning, building on the great momentum we’ve seen in students’ academic gains, and continuing to realize our vision of a District where every student has a rigorous, high-quality, and joyful learning experience.”
* More…
* Tribune | With the entire Board of Education resigning, what’s next for CPS families?: “Why is this happening when we’re so close to having part of our board be elected?” Maleeha Mubashiruddin, a CPS parent whose children attend Peterson Elementary and Whitney Young High School, said. “The district needs to have a leader … (and) there isn’t someone in place. We don’t know who Mayor Johnson is going to appoint. Especially with the school board changing at the start of the school year, there needs to be someone leading this giant district instead of having this void in leadership.”
* CBS | Entire Chicago Board of Education to resign amid dispute with mayor over CPS CEO’s future: On Friday afternoon, activists, parents, and politicians all gathered outside CPS Headquarters, 42 W. Madison St. once word got out about the unanimous resignation of the board members. “When an entire board that you selected resigns, that’s a rejection of you as a leader, Mr. Mayor,” said Juan Rangel of the Urban Center.
* NYT | Entire Chicago Education Board to Resign Amid Tensions Between Mayor and Schools Chief: Mr. Johnson, who is aligned with the union, and Pedro Martinez, the chief executive of Chicago’s school district, have clashed over the mayor’s plan to fill a $1 billion gap in the district’s budget. As part of his plan, Mr. Johnson had proposed a $300 million high-interest loan to cover a $175 million pension for staff members in the district who aren’t teachers, and to cover pay increases for members of the union, among other things.
* ABC Chicago | Entire Chicago Board of Education to resign, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office says: Ald. Brian Hopkins of the 2nd Ward said school board members owe CPS families an explanation of why they are resigning, as there was no mention of it in a joint statement with the mayor. At the last monthly meeting, the board refused to act on Martinez’s contract after the Mayor asked the CEO to resign. “For years, we’ve heard the far left of Chicago scream about elected school board, elected school board now they’re getting an elected school board, and yet they want to take it over in a last minute coup and appoint people,” Ald. Hopkins said. “That’s wrong.”
* WGN | Chicago Board of Education to resign; mayor to announce new appointments Monday: Mayor Johnson denied on Monday if he is pushed board members to resign regarding Martinez. “I don’t ever discuss personnel issues. I find it irresponsible and raggedy, and I don’t do raggedy,” Johnson said in September. However, on Wednesday he told reporters at City Hall, “I was elected to fight for the people of this city, and who ever is in the way of that…Get out of it.”
* The Rundown | Entire Chicago school board to resign: The board at times has seemed to back CPS CEO Pedro Martinez in clashes with Johnson, but the board has also had concerns about Martinez’s performance, WBEZ and the Sun-Times previously reported. The departures seem mutual: Board members were upset with the position they were put in and the mayor wants a board that will follow his orders.
* AXIOS | Entire Chicago Board of Education is resigning: The mayor’s office says no current board members planned to continue next year. None of them are seeking election either. The resignations don’t bode well for Martinez who had already faced some criticism from board members for his interaction with them but may fare even worse under new mayoral appointees.
* Chicago Crusader | Mayor Brandon Johnson and Chicago Board of Education Announce Board Member Transition Plan: Mayor Brandon Johnson, along with fellow elected officials, faith leaders and community partners, will announce seven new appointments to the Chicago Board of Education on Monday, October 7, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. at Sweet Holy Spirit Church, 8621 S. South Chicago Ave. in Chicago.
