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* Press release…

CHICAGO—As anger builds over Sen. President John Cullerton’s stalling of elected school board legislation for Chicago, CPS parents and community members will be stepping up the pressure Wednesday with a rally and press conference in front of the senator’s Lakeview office. The groups are pledging to continue to picket at his office until he moves the legislation in the senate.

The bill, HB 0557, sailed out of the Illinois House earlier this year by a vote of 110 - 4, but is now stuck in the Senate because Cullerton refuses to even assign it to a committee. At a meeting with parents last month, he pledged to advance the measure but has not kept that promise.

WHAT: Rally and picket for an elected school board
WHEN: 10 a.m., Wednesday, May 11
WHERE: Office of Senate President John Cullerton, 1726 W. Belmont
WHY: Cullerton is blocking HB 0557, the elected school board bill, even though he promised constituents he would allow the bill to proceed in the senate. Parents and community members demand that he keep his word.
VISUALS: Parents marching, chanting and carrying signs calling out Cullerton for not keeping his promise to move the elected Chicago school board bill.

As president of the Senate, Cullerton controls how and when legislation advances. Although he is the chief senate sponsor of the bill, he refuses to assign it to a committee, which would give the measure a good chance at passage by the full senate.

The elected school board bill passed out of the house on March 3. Even though the measure has widespread support among Chicagoans and Cullerton’s own constituents, he has blocked the bill in the Senate for the last two months.

A non-binding referendum last February passed by nearly 90 percent in the 35 wards where it appeared on the ballot, including Cullerton’s own 33rd ward. But the Senate President continues to side with Mayor Rahm Emanuel over his constituents and other Chicagoans who are demanding more democracy and accountability in Chicago Public Schools.

Groups plan to protest outside Cullerton’s office until he advances HB 0557. Groups involved in the protest are: Parents 4 Teachers, Illinois Raise Your Hand, Northside Action for Justice, Brighton Park Neighborhood Council, the Kenwood Oakland Community Council, ONE Northside, and the Lugenia Burns Hope Center.

* The Question: Should Cullerton call the bill for a floor vote? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.

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posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 1:54 pm

Comments

Can’t think of a worthwhile reason why he wouldn’t. 110-4 in the other chamber? Mob outside his office? Seems he might get the impression he needs to be on the right side of this one.

Comment by A guy Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 1:58 pm
Voted yes. It is better to have too much democracy, than not enough.

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 2:07 pm
Man, this puts the Senate President in a tough spot with his most high profile constituent.

Comment by Curious Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 2:11 pm
Hastings just recently joined as a co-sponsor-

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/billstatus.asp?DocNum=557&GAID=13&GA=99&DocTypeID=HB&LegID=85009&SessionID=88

Comment by Anon221 Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 2:13 pm
Yes. Let people have a choice in the matter.

Comment by The Muse Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 2:29 pm
This is a bogus issue being pushed by the CTU.

Comment by Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 2:38 pm
Because 80 percent of the approximately 400,000 students in CPS are economically disadvantaged, I fear the school board members this group of parents would elect would make Bernie Sanders look like a moderate.

Comment by Lucky Pierre Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 2:48 pm
He should. “I don’t want something to pass that I know has the votes to do so” isn’t a good enough excuse to hold it. It passed overwhelmingly in the House and is demonstrably popular with voters in Chicago.

Comment by SweetLou86 Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 3:15 pm
What Ducky said - like term limits, when something enjoys such overwhelming public support, it deserves at least a vote. As for CTU, be careful what you wish for.

Comment by lake county democrat Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 3:20 pm
Remember, it is an elected school board in Kansas that keeps trying to teach creationism in biology classes. Electing a school board is no guarantee they would be any better.

Comment by Chicago Barb Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 3:35 pm
Yes, Cullerton shouldn’t use his position to protect Chicago politicians and their outdated demands.

Comment by Wensicia Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 3:56 pm
== Because 80 percent of the approximately 400,000 students in CPS are economically disadvantaged, I fear the school board members this group of parents would elect would make Bernie Sanders look like a moderate. ==

So?

To the post: Voted yes. Elected boards offer the best model of school governance.

Comment by olddog Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 3:57 pm
I say fire Claypool and hire Karen Lewis. She is the only one with kids best interest in mind. Plus she understands how a school should be run.

Comment by groucho Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 3:58 pm
Why doesn’t this Cullerton guy just get out of the Senate. I was going to use the “F” word but figured the guy playing God would delete it. By the way if Cullerton goes could he take Rauner and senior citizen Madigan with him? This State would be so much better.

Comment by Out Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 4:14 pm
I voted ‘yes.’ We have local control of the school board in the rest of the state and should be consistent. Whether it will be better or worse governance than there is now, people should get to choose the members.

Comment by Earnest Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 4:16 pm
According to sun times, those groups are all funded by ctu, so I wouldn’t respond to front groups if i were cullerton

Comment by Too legit to quit Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 4:20 pm
Yes. It is the will of Chicagoans and obviously having an appointed school board has not been a panacea for success. It’s not like the billionaires won’t go all in for their charter lovers if there’s an elected board. In fact, we know they will.

Comment by Precinct Captain Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 4:24 pm
I am so proud of you Earnest. Are you the guy who wears his pants way above his waist like a nerd?

Comment by Proud Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 4:24 pm
So the idea that this is some CTU takeover attempt is nonsense.

Comment by Precinct Captain Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 4:24 pm
===I say fire Claypool and hire Karen Lewis. She is the only one with kids best interest in mind.===

Wow, here’s one dude who isn’t waiting for legalization. oy.

Comment by A guy Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 4:26 pm
We voted “yes” kids cannot get any dumber…elected school boards are all the vogue in the ‘burbs
do we need more reasons?

Comment by Annonin' Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 4:28 pm
I voted “yes”. I don’t like the idea; who wants more unaccountable (think GA and City Council) bureaucrats who will use this as a stepping stone to some other political office?! Nothwithstanding the aforesaid, if that’s what the people want…give it to them.

Comment by GetOverIt Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 4:34 pm
===I say fire Claypool and hire Karen Lewis. She is the only one with kids best interest in mind.===

She would not take it. She is smart enough to know cps is a financial basket case and no amount of hollering “tax increase for the wealthy,” would improve the immediate needs of students. she and would rather throw rocks. plus rahm would never give her any latitude.

Comment by atsuishin Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 4:35 pm
=Groups plan to protest outside Cullerton’s office until he advances HB 0557. Groups involved in the protest are: Parents 4 Teachers, Illinois Raise Your Hand, Northside Action for Justice, Brighton Park Neighborhood Council, the Kenwood Oakland Community Council, ONE Northside, and the Lugenia Burns Hope Center.=

All groups funded by CTU.

Comment by Chicago Schooler Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 4:37 pm
http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/the-watchdogs-ctu-allies-benefit-from-newly-enriched-union-foundation/

Comment by Chicago Schooler Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 5:07 pm
In general both houses need better rules for calling votes. Neither the speaker nor the president should be able to bottle up legislation. In this case there is overwhelming evidence of bi-partisan support for the bill. I ordinarily sympathize with Cullerton’s viewpoint but on this he’s had a brain freeze.

Power to the people, as another John once sang.

Comment by DuPage Dave Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 6:16 pm
Voted no. Rauner doesn’t need to own them too.

Comment by PENSIONS ARE OFF LIMITS Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 7:09 pm
My past comment…

===- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 11, 15 @ 11:22 am

…

As to CPS and electing versus appointing, it wouldn’t bother me at all if they elected the board members. Those races would be fascinating, given any Chicago Mayor in office needs a strong school system to show a city under their leadership is doing all it can for the betterment of all Chicagoans.

City-wide, board districts, 2 year, 4 year terms, it would change the political landscape, probably most for the occupant on the 5th Floor at City Hall.

If I need to be “sold” on the elected aspect, I’d like to see the structure of the board in design, terms, and probably most importantly, it’s independence and how far an elected board could go, and how far an elected board can’t go.

… ===

Voted “Yes”…

“Why?”

Got to crawl before you can walk, having an “up or down” on a bill that cleared, ok, let’s run it in the Senate.

That’s all I’m basingy vote on. - OW

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 7:11 pm
“basing my vote on”

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 7:13 pm
People are worried that some people who want an elected school board may have an ulterior motive. Guess what, the current mayor ally appointed school board is full of people with ulterior motives and no way to remove them. This isn’t a perfect solution, but it honestly can’t get worse.

Comment by Cathartt Representative Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 7:37 pm
No, because having public employees and their agents bargaining with themselves hasn’t worked out too well in this state.

Comment by Greg R. Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 7:48 pm
It is not reasonable for Chicago to have the only appointed school board in Illinois; the idea is way overdue. Then maybe the board would break up the system into more manageable parts. Gee whiz, is this hard?

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 8:35 pm
CTU controlled school board members or Mayor of Chicago controlled school board members–give me the latter anyday, any Mayor.

Comment by anon Tuesday, May 10, 16 @ 8:55 pm
Deserves vote. May not end up with better results for schools but couldn’t be worse.

Comment by Dorjim Wednesday, May 11, 16 @ 9:38 am