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* From Sarah Karp at WBEZ…
Despite sailing through both chambers of the Illinois state Legislature, a bill creating an elected school board for Chicago is stalled and won’t be coming back up until at least the fall.
That’s the unhappy conclusion of the bill’s sponsor, State Rep. Robert Martwick, D-Chicago. He and others have long pushed to replace the city’s mayoral-appointed school board.
The overwhelming support for an elected school board came as a surprise this legislative session, and Marwick had hoped to get it finalized in June. But the legislation was overshadowed by the intense budget negotiations, he said. After failing to pass a budget for two years, state lawmakers are now under intense pressure to pass one.
“The budget negotiations have really, and rightly so, have consumed all the air in the building … we have been hyper focused on that,” Martwick said.
He said he needed the attention of leaders to iron out differences between bills passed by the House and the Senate.
I think the leaders just don’t want to do it. Not now, not ever. The governor doesn’t relish the fact that the CTU could elect school board members. The Senate President is closely allied with Mayor Emanuel, who opposes it. And the rest of the leaders don’t need the complicating headache.
posted by Rich Miller
Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 10:55 am
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Really a sad commentary on the Democratic leadership. Rob Martwick is one of the good guys out there, and especially disgusting because it has public support bigly.
Comment by Galena Guy Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 11:13 am
I don’t like plenty of election outcomes. But I wouldn’t deny those citizens the right to govern themselves.
There’s no reasonable position for denying only the citizens of Chicago an elected school board. It’s just undemocratic.
Comment by wordslinger Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 11:26 am
Where the ERSB Referendum was on the ballot in Sen. Pres. Cullerton’s home turf - the 32nd. 33rd, 40th and 47th ward - the referendum passed with something between 83 - 89%. YES votes. This is what Pres. Cullerton’s constituents want.
Comment by Jack Jackson Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 11:53 am
This won’t happen until the Black and Latino Caucus unite to give this priority. Same goes for Springfield reforming how TIF funds are used so that Mayor Emanuel can’t pour the majority of the hundreds of millions of dollars into “blighted” neighborhoods like the Loop and South Loop. The solutions to street violence don’t stop with police reform.
Comment by Veil of Ignorance Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 3:04 pm