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Cullerton questions elected school board proposal

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Illinois

* He’s basically dodged this issue for a while now…

On the topic of unions, Cullerton, seen as an ally of Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel, worried that creating an elected Chicago Public School Board would lead to one-sided negotiations with unions that would commandeer the electoral process and place friendly members in office.

“It might end up being electing union members to the school board and those unions represent the teachers. The question would be, would there be any kind of oversight,” he said.

I get what he’s saying, but the last time I checked every other school board in the state was elected.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 10:03 am

Comments

the House bill passed with overwhelming bi-partisan support last time. Should be interesting to see where the legislation goes (or doesn’t) this time around.

Comment by Ravenswood Right Winger Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 10:05 am
Has Cullerton, an ally of the mayor, ever worried about Chicago being a one party political state that has permitted the negotiations on almost everything to be one-sided?

Seriously, I believe when the definitive history of the decline of Illinois is written Pat Quinn’s populist “Cutback Amendment” is going to be reexamined and the reviews are not going to be favorable.

Comment by W Flag Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 10:08 am
Not to mention, even if the union did win the seats, wouldn’t it be interesting to see them solve their own problems? It’s real easy to complain, not so easy to solve problems.

Comment by Shemp Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 10:09 am
Also, I believe that the School Code provides certain restrictions on eligibility for election to a school board for people who work for the district and earn a certain amount of money doing so. It would be an easy thing to add to the proposed language.

Comment by Boushh Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 10:11 am
I support elected school boards if CPS’ ability to raise property taxes was eliminated and CPS is given the ability to declare bankruptcy (though to be fair, they deserve at least some bailing out to put their budget on manageable terms first).

Comment by lake county democrat Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 10:12 am
Senator Cullerton is a little late to the party providing the “oversight” over unaffordable cadillac pension benefits for state workers.

He has seen the light after 38 years as a Springfield legislator.

better late than never I guess

Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 10:14 am
I omitted to add that Emanuel’s school board appointed Barbara “Jail” Byrd Bennett who looted the district.

On a related topic, I have heard a similar bill was introduced to make the City Colleges board of trustees elected also. Again, Chicago has the only mayoral appointed college board in the state. Ditto for libraries and parks.

Comment by W Flag Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 10:14 am
lake county democrat, CPS is already capped by PTELL. If they are elected, why should they be treated differently from every other district in suburban Cook and the collars in terms of their ability to raise their own revenue?

Comment by Juice Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 10:15 am
There absolutely is a chance that the first election will go in favor of teacher union-approved candidates.

But democracy sometimes does work. If the board isn’t doing its job, the public will vote them out.

Comment by Robert the Bruce Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 10:18 am
My elected board allowed the teacher union larger raises than I counseled since: a) they did not want parents complaining about unhappy teachers, and b) several teachers from other districts were on our board. Overall VERY good board members, but weak in negotiations, costing the district more money.

Comment by Interim Retiree Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 10:19 am
==- Juice - Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 10:15 am:==

Because white suburbanites with no stake in the system say so!

Comment by Precinct Captain Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 10:24 am
Juice - because, and admittedly I haven’t done a deep dive here and am open to convincing, my hunch is that the % of home ownership is a lot higher everywhere else, thus a greater risk of taxation without representation. Also, I think because Chicago is so spread-out and has such a history of caving to teacher unions, there does need to be more accountability for the board. As you may have seen, I bleet about progressive taxation a lot and would like to see school funding changed and CPS get more money (tied to certain education reforms and merit pay, but the teachers overall would get more), but accountability is key.

Comment by lake county democrat Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 10:30 am
Precinct Captain - funny, judging from the emails my state legislators send me, I thought we do have a stake in the system. PS - you got me on being white, but I bet I have more African-American family members than you do. None ever lived in Chicago but all but one of my African-American friends fled the city years ago and I doubt you’d find their political thoughts on the city very attractive.

Comment by lake county democrat Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 10:36 am
The current system has been a miserable failure, but Cullerton’s feigned concern is more about his mayoral ally having a hissy fit about the potential embarrassment of being stripped of appointment powers which Chicago mayors have had for more than a century.

The passage of such a bill would also be another indication that Emanuel is ineffective mayor. His two successful mayoral elections were manufactured by tons of cash spending that produced poorer vote totals and percentages than any winning mayoral candidate in almost a hundred years.

Emanuel’s opposition to this bill is not merely about maintaining power. It is about saving face for a mayor who has compiled a poor record on public education, including provoking a teachers’ strike. If Emanuel had been better, nobody would be suggesting such a change.

Comment by Wake Up Call Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 10:43 am
Why President Cullerton is carrying Mayor Emanuel’s opposition to an elected school
Board forward is simply beyond me. Speaker Madigan isn’t carrying the load for the Mayor on this, why is President Cullerton?

Comment by Rod Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 10:44 am
Chicago should have an elected board, like every other school district in the state.

But it is kinda foolish to pretend CPS is just like any other school district. I like the idea of the mayor, whomever he or she is, having some direct stake in the game. Maybe have the mayor appoint the CEO or a few members of the board?

Comment by Roman Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 10:49 am
Chicago is the only school district that forces its teachers to live in the district. In many districts the teachers do not actually live in the district they teach in.

Comment by 51st ward Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 10:49 am
- Rod - asked:

“Speaker Madigan isn’t carrying the load for the Mayor on this, why is Cullerton?”

Answer:

Because the Speaker is busy carrying the load for CTU.

Mike Madigan, a long-time charter school supporter who not long ago had an uneasy relationship with teacher and public employee unions, is now joined at the hip with them. See what Bruce Rauner hath wrought?

Comment by OH Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 10:58 am
“The question would be, would there be any kind of oversight,” Wouldn’t School Board elections be the oversight needed? If they are doing a bad job, voter them out. I mean that’s the standard answer on this post when the issue of term limits up.

Comment by Bogey Golfer Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 11:01 am
Adding…No doubt, CTU would be super-influential in the election of school board members. But some big money, charter-advocating DeVos/Rauner-types could get involved, too. If I were a political consultant or on the sales staff of a Chicago TV station, I’d be rooting for an elected $chool board in Chicago.

Comment by Roman Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 11:20 am
===I get what he’s saying, but the last time I checked every other school board in the state was elected.===

This is absolutely true. But…plenty of elected school boards have a slew of problems too with regard to oversight and political issues. The big difference here is the shear size of this school district vs. any other in the state. The regional differences from Northside to Southside to Westside, etc. make the size of the communities beyond what any other district serving a town or two or three need to confront or deal with. I’m as sheepish as the Senate President on this one. Could the appointment process be a heck of a lot different? Oh yeah. Managing that school system really does require a higher skill set than what you see on many of the other school boards.
I just don’t see the upside.

Comment by A guy Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 11:30 am
Only those CPS teachers hired after 1996 are required to live in Chicago.

No one who has worked for CPS their entire career younger that their mid 40’s is required to live in Chicago.

not sure what percentage is who actually live in Chicago

Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 11:30 am
CTU members wouldn’t have to directly run to be represented on the school board. There are numerous neighborhood groups that are on the CTU payroll that could run candidates, thereby creating a de facto CTU puppet regime.

But I’m with Shemp…let’s see the union resolve budget issues within their means. Let’s see them negotiate with other unions knowing that every dollar given up is one less dollar for themselves.

Comment by City Zen Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 11:51 am
==- lake county democrat - Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 10:30 am:==

I’ll take your bet and raise you a million times–because I know I’ll win.

Comment by Precinct Captain Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 1:11 pm
@A guy:
The big difference here is the shear size of this school district vs. any other in the state. The regional differences from Northside to Southside to Westside, etc. make the size of the communities beyond what any other district…

Your point is well taken, but during the Thirties the reformers (power grabbers) claimed that centralization was more efficient than having the city divided. Chicago used to have three major park districts (Lincoln Park, South and West), plus several lesser park boards. Cook County used have three assessors. Now there is one almighty assessor.

Maybe we need to divide the Chicago Board of Education into geographic areas.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 3:06 pm
Oh, can you imagine that fight?

We don’t disagree, but the possibility for that kind of solution just doesn’t even seem in the realm.

Comment by A guy Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 3:24 pm
And how much will this school board cost with salaries, elections etc? Can we really afford this???

Comment by Denise Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 4:04 pm