CHICAGO (CBS) — A day after Mayor Brandon Johnson announced his the entire hand-picked school board would resignAbout three dozen city council members criticized the recent developments in an open letter.
After announcing the resignations, the 36 aldermen wrote: “This is unprecedented and creates further instability in our school district.”
Amid the uncertainty of how the firing came about, CBS News Chicago tracked down Johnson at his events in an effort to get answers.
Johnson did not respond to shouted questions during an event on Saturday.
It was only when he concluded his second event that he stopped to provide an explanation for the departure of the entire board.
“This is just a transition as we move into the elected school board,” Johnson said.
The move came just weeks before voters get their first chance to elect 10 new board members. The mayor will appoint eleven. The board with 21 new members will not start its mandate until January 15, which means that the mayor will appoint seven new board members until then.
“If you’re the mayor, why would you put someone there who isn’t going to do the things you want to happen?” said Rufus Williams, who served as chairman of the Chicago School Board from 2005 to 2009.
Still, City Council members were critical of the situation, writing that a board “full of lame appointees who serve only a few months’ terms before residents have a chance to elect representatives is not in our best interests.”
Sources said the mayor wanted Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez to resign. Without dismissal, the board would have to fire Martinez.
During the mayor’s third event on Saturday, CBS News Chicago asked whether he wanted the administration to fire Martinez.
“I want the board to respond to the people of Chicago voting for me again,” Johnson said.
Johnson and Martinez are at odds over a proposal that CPS take out a high-interest loan to pay district costs, including teacher benefits and pensions.
When asked if he believes the next board members will approve the loan he wants, he said, “The same people who oppose my leadership have seen black and brown women fired and haven’t slept a wink.”
Williams said the board has the authority to review the district’s budget and make loans on the district’s behalf.
In their open letter, councilors said taking out a $300 million loan “would not be a smart decision when CPS is already facing a massive deficit and the city is facing a deficit of nearly $1 billion.”
How did Johnson respond to accusations that he was abusing his power with the mass resignations?
“Well, as mayor of the city of Chicago and as a parent of public school students, the people of Chicago voted me to strengthen our school district and that is exactly what I am doing,” he said.
Yet recent developments have led many to question the state of CPS leadership.
“To have turnover at this point and have a new group of people come in, who may have a new CEO, yeah, it’s a recipe for chaos,” Williams said.
After heading to Las Vegas on Sunday to campaign for Vice President Kamala Harris, Johnson will announce his new school board at a South Side church on Monday before heading to London later this week.
Dorothy Tucker
