Former CPS CEO Petro Martinez
Ten new Chicago Board of Education members will be sworn in on January 15 after they were elected in November’s General Election.
Activist Aaron “Jitu” Brown from District 5 on the West Side will be sworn in, along with District 10 member Che “Rhymefest” Smith, who will represent neighborhoods on the South Side.
Brown, a longtime community organizer, has fought school closures and advocated for an elected school board. He was endorsed by the Chicago Teachers Union and ran uncontested after Michillia Blaise withdrew from the race in early September.
Smith had a narrow victory over Karin Norington-Reaves, who also captured a large number of voters in District 10.
They will join the board’s 11 members, who fired Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez at last month’s meeting.
The 21-member board will be in place as Martinez’s legal battle moves forward amid tensions with Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Teachers Union, which is in contract negotiations.
Johnson wanted Martinez fired after he refused to take a high-interest loan to cover the district’s budget deficit. Martinez wanted to make program and staff cuts that Johnson and the Chicago Teacher’s Union opposed.
Martinez, who was appointed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot, has resisted demands by Johnson. Only the Chicago Board of Education could fire Martinez. In October, seven members of the board resigned without explanation, though some suspected Johnson was behind the resignations. Many Black aldermen opposed the resignations and urged Johnson to not make any moves on Martinez.
The elected board members have largely been silent on resignations and Martinez’s termination.
On December 16, Johnson appointed Sean Harden as President of the Chicago Board of Education. Harden is a South Side native and former Deputy CEO of CPS.
“I am confident that these appointments are ready to enact my vision for a transformational school district. Utilizing the blueprint outlined in my transition report and the Chicago Board of Education’s 5-year Strategic Plan, these appointees will ensure every child in Chicago has access to the world-class education they deserve,” Johnson said. “As a former middle school teacher who fought for an elected school board, I am excited by this historic first step that will build a foundation for a more equitable and thriving public education system.”
Johnson also hand-picked the replacements of the seven board members who resigned. That cleared the way for Johnson to get his way in firing Martinez. On December 20, the board voted unanimously to fire Martinez.
The termination means Martinez will stay on the job for another six months and collect more than $130,000 in severance pay.
Three days after firing Martinez, Chicago Board of Education members attended contract negotiations between the district and the Chicago Teachers Union.
The lawyer for Martinez responded with a cease and desist letter demanding board members not attend the negotiations talks, describing it as “unlawful interference” with Martinez’s authority. Martinez’s lawyer had a judge issue a temporary restraining order to stop the board from holding contract talks.
“At least initially, what [the TRO] is going to say is, one, that the board cannot obstruct Martinez’s job duties. They can’t interfere with the negotiations with the Chicago Teachers Union. They can’t diminish his job overall, and they can’t instruct his staff,” said William Quinlan, Martinez’s attorney.
In response, Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates said, “I’m disappointed that Pedro believed that he had to go to a courthouse to be able to interact powerfully.”
During his campaign for mayor, Johnson promised to push for an elected school board. Still, with Johnson in agreement, the Illinois Assembly passed legislation to create a hybrid Board of Education that includes 10 members elected by voters and 11 members appointed by the mayor, including the president.
