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* Fran Spielman and Nader Issa at the Sun-Times…
Facing almost certain defeat, Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Monday threw the kitchen sink of arguments against a proposed 21-member elected board to run Chicago Public Schools — a plan favored by the Illinois General Assembly. […]
“A lot of the conversation that has been had over the course of this last legislative session is about dividing up the spoils of CPS. It’s about power. It’s about paying back somebody’s political patron. But it’s not been centered around our children. That’s telling. But it’s also frightening.”
Paging Dale Carnegie!
*** UPDATE *** One of the compromises being proposed by House members is to run a trailer bill later to try and address some of the mayor’s concerns. From the above story…
“We fought too long and too hard over the course of many, many years to make sure that we’re providing real supports for people who have come to the city who want to raise their families, do the right thing, contribute to our tax base. Yet, we’re gonna vote on a bill that disenfranchises them and then say, ‘We’ll take care of it on a trailer bill?’” said Lightfoot, her voice rising as she referenced plans to pass followup legislation to address issues like how undocumented parents could vote, among other issues.
“Too little, too late. If you know that the bill is flawed, wait. Fix it.”
As a lobbyist on another issue said to me last night, “If you don’t pass a bill, you can’t fix it later.” Just sayin…
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 11:14 am
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If she was a competent politician who understood how Springfield worked, she would be driving this process. Instead, she is chasing the train, trying to get a seat on it.
Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 11:20 am
=…it’s not been centered around our children.=
Yeah. Like closing the neighborhood schools?
Didn’t vote for her.
Not surprised by anything she says or does.
Says something about the merits of a seasoned “politician” vs. a rookie.
Comment by TinyDancer(FKASue) Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 11:33 am
First, Rich, lol… well played.
To the post;
=== “A lot of the conversation that has been had over the course of this last legislative session is about dividing up the spoils of CPS. It’s about power. It’s about paying back somebody’s political patron. But it’s not been centered around our children. That’s telling. But it’s also frightening.”===
Let’s break some of this down to grasp the think-thought…
“A lot of the conversation that has been had over the course of this last legislative session is about dividing up the spoils of CPS.”
I’d like to have a working knowledge of the use of “spoils” by the mayor here. This same person as a candidate felt the “spoils” (I guess this is what it means?) should be in the hands of an elected school board, allowing the voters the opportunity to be heard thru elected members. Is the mayor now upset the spoils are lost… by her… or more directly… the office of the mayor… exactly what she advocated as a candidate? It’s head spinning.
“It’s about power.”
Again, candidate? Candidate, power to the people. Mayor? Mayor loses power.
Oh. Oh, I see, oh… it could be… the mayor is learning a lesson all mayors learn, some the hard way, like here, others a lesser hard way… the legislature and Governor are indeed more powerful than any mayor, and mayors who battle both the legislature and a governor… never win those battles, those mayors hope to limit the damage, in this case self-inflicted damage, to themselves. Lightfoot has limited (I’m being real generous) allies, and no where near 60/71, 30/36,… and not the governor it appears in this.
Is it about power? Prolly. But it could be about a lesson learned so badly too.
“It’s about paying back somebody’s political patron. But it’s not been centered around our children.”
Ok, this is hyperbole word salad to appease real, raw anger.
Candidate Lightfoot would ardently disagree and in a way that would slam Mayor Lightfoot’s suggestion… even… even if the anger has a hint of nugget of truth… but it was delivered not with truth but with anger of a loner on an island watching ships pass that change her perceptions of power.
“That’s telling. But it’s also frightening.”
This is pure gaslighting, putting doubt to the move and legislation that as a candidate she would’ve touted and celebrated. It *is* telling. The gaslighting of a once held position. Some might say it’s telling how much of all this is a “self own” but that’s for others to discuss.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 11:34 am
Da Mayor’s ineptness aside, legislators should be concerned about handing the reins of CPS to Jesse Sharkey at CTU. The supporters of an elected school board can talk all they want about an independent elected board. In the end Sharkey and CTU will control CPS. Give it a few years and a couple contract re-negotiations and the GA will be back to revisit this issue.
Comment by Nadigam Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 11:42 am
“Lori, what is it you would say you do here?”
Comment by Roadrager Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 11:43 am
Mayor Lori Lightfoot is certainly turning out to be a different person than her campaign lead me to believe.
Comment by Candy Dogood Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 11:43 am
I agree with the thought that CPS has become a spoils system with educating children as a secondary reason for its existence. It functions as a regulated monopoly where the monopoly has captured control of the regulators.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 11:52 am
=== In the end Sharkey and CTU will control CPS===
I’m not convinced that’s a given, but even if it is, it’ll finally force the CTU to deal with these issues on a realistic basis. The union constantly relies on fantasy solutions to problems. That doesn’t work when you’ve got actual control. Just ask Bruce Rauner.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 11:56 am
If CTU wants to own all that is CPS, and they win more than 4 seats (I mean, getting 11 seats after all kicks in, that’s a lotta seats) and can control the board… it’s probably a good thing, can’t blame anyone, they are at the helm and will need Mayoral support on things, legislative support on things, and instead of a labor union, like all labor unions do, concerned about what is in the best interests of the members, now CTU would have constituents to answer to, not merely rank and file members.
Maybe having 4 or less seats (on a good election) might be the best equilibrium for CTU?
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 12:02 pm
==It’s about power. It’s about paying back somebody’s political patron.==
This seems to be what the mayor is concerned about losing. The mayor’s power and the mayor’s patrons…
Comment by Pot calling kettle Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 12:20 pm
The scary thing is that Lightfoot will be re-elected, because the people voting for her will do so again. And what spoils is she going on about anyway? She is truly clueless in so many ways.
Comment by thisjustinagain Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 12:22 pm
Great points about CTU. Never thought of it like that.
== The scary thing is that Lightfoot will be re-elected, because the people voting for her will do so again.==. That is the complete opposite from what I’m hearing. I know it’s anecdotal, but everyone I know who voted for her has said they are very disappointed in her performance and won’t vote for her next time.
Comment by low level Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 12:32 pm
– Don’t criticize, condemn, or complain
– Give honest and sincere appreciation
– Arouse in the other person an eager want.
0/3
Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 12:40 pm
What Rich said. That is the total ballgame. ACTUALLY running a district is vastly different from making demands. CTU will not have the kind of control they think they will have.
Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 12:41 pm
==The scary thing is that Lightfoot will be re-elected, because the people voting for her will do so again.==
Depends on who runs against her. Currently it’s Nobody and Nobody Worth Mentioning. A serious question the city has to answer is, “Who actually wants this job?” It’s a question New York seems to be facing this year.
Comment by Roadrager Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 12:56 pm
== Currently it’s Nobody and Nobody Worth Mentioning.==
It would be interesting if a socially liberal Republican like Charlie Baker or Larry Hogan ran.
As for NYC, that race is very competitive.
Comment by low level Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 1:06 pm
The argument that this will allow CTU to control the board is comical. The entity that gains control is the Regular Democratic Party as their slate will win a majority of the seats. CTU affiliated candidates will win some seats but will probably run against the Democratic slate. The school board will become akin to Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. If Lightfoot isn’t using CTU as a strawman for Preckwinkle, her argument isn’t in touch with reality.
Comment by Patrick Rutherford Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 1:07 pm
=== socially liberal Republican===
Some would say that’s what the city has now. lol
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 1:07 pm
== The entity that gains control is the Regular Democratic Party ==
Don’t forget the influence that CTU had with the regulars. CTU has troops that will knock on doors. The regulars don’t have much of that any longer.
Comment by low level Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 1:15 pm
The Rauner/Lightfoot parallels are “telling, but also frightening”
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 1:16 pm
Sorry should be “has with the regulars”. not “had”.
Comment by low level Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 1:16 pm
Every other municipality in IL has an elected school board. End of story.
The reason there hasn’t been one in Chicago is because the Mayor built enough support in Springfield to retain control of CPS. Lori has none. And hasn’t even tried.
She is truly the worst at this being Mayor thing.
Comment by Lori's Fedora Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 1:17 pm
I think the Mayor has too much office time.
Comment by Bigtwich Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 1:28 pm
==It would be interesting if a socially liberal Republican like Charlie Baker or Larry Hogan ran.==
If you go on Twitter, you can watch an alderman try to dig this lane for himself in real time.
Comment by Roadrager Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 1:33 pm
There is grassroots and legislative support for the elected school board. Daley, Joyce, Mendoza, anyone would be in this situation. Preckwinkle would’ve made it part of her legislative agenda. I agree it won’t be a slam dunk for CTU, and I think the Water Reclamation District analogy is good. The political reality is what it is though.
Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 1:37 pm
=== we’re gonna vote on a bill that disenfranchises them===
How does creating an elected school board disenfranchise voters? The only person “disenfranchised” will be the mayor.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 1:44 pm
I think that you’ve misread Mayor Lightfoot — if she caught that train, she’d try to punch it.
– MrJM
Comment by @misterjayem Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 1:56 pm
One thing I’ve never understood: if CTU is so certain to dominate the an elected Chicago School Board, why don’t they ever channel that power into Mayoral elections?
Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 2:01 pm
It is a sad day, when the Mayor of Chicago is afraid of a democratically elected school board.
Comment by Bruce( no not him) Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 3:11 pm
@Arsenal - There is a big difference between a high-profile city-wide election between two people and 21 separate elections.
Comment by Chicagonk Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 3:30 pm
==There is a big difference between a high-profile city-wide election between two people and 21 separate elections. ==
Right. Wouldn’t it be harder for them to flex their muscles in the latter?
Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 3:35 pm
from an interaction long ago, the CPS is filled with layers of people managing the same things. don’t know how deep the union control goes on the layers outside of the classroom, but do recall the union advocating for things that were not about teaching but which they said their students need. also not clear that Lightfoot would be any better in streamlining and putting money into classrooms.
Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 4:12 pm
Lightfoot continues to disappoint. She may be polling in the positive range now, but there’s also no opponent to poll against.
Comment by Friendly Bob Adams Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 6:12 pm
Brandon Johnson for Mayor. There - CTU has a candidate for Mayor.
Comment by Advocate Tuesday, Jun 15, 21 @ 6:49 pm