CHICAGO (CBS) Mayor Brandon Johnson announced Monday that newly appointed Chicago school board member Sean Harden has also been named president of the board.
“I am confident that these appointments are ready to put my vision for a transformational school district into action. “By using the blueprint outlined in my transition report and the Chicago Board of Education’s five-year Strategic Plan, these appointees will ensure that every child in Chicago has access to the world-class education they deserve,” Johnson said in a press release. “As a former high school teacher who fought for an elected school board, I am excited about this historic first step that will lay a foundation for a more equitable and thriving public education system.”
Sean Harden was sworn in as a CPS board member last week. He has been director of the Hardenwright Consultant Group since 2013, working with small and medium-sized businesses and not-for-profit organizations.
Previously, Harden served as senior advisor and director of real estate and construction for Greenlining Realty USA, and as president and CEO of business incubator GoodCity Chicago.
From 2009 to 2011, Harden served as deputy CEO of the Chicago Public Schools. He was recruited for the position by then-CPS CEO Ron Huberman.
Harden served as deputy commissioner of the Commission on Human Relations under Mayor Richard M. Daley from 2006 to 2009.
Also appointed to the board were former bilingual high school teacher Anusha Thotakura; former newspaper journalist and 2023 aldermanic candidate Ed Bannon; retired Chicago Public Schools teacher and co-founder of Uplift Community High School Karen Zaccor; artist, activist and CPS parent Norma Rios-Sierra; and advocate for immigrant rights and equality Pastora Emma Lozano – the widow of famed Chicago activist Rev. Walter “Slim” Coleman.
Four members of the incumbent Chicago Board of Education, who Mayor Johnson sworn in in October, will remain in their posts: Debby Pope, Michilla Blaise, Frank Niles Thomas and Olga Bautista.
On the board, Harden replaced Rev. Mitchell L. Ikenna Johnson, who resigned at the request of Mayor Johnson just a week after he was sworn in in October. Rev. Johnson left his post under mounting pressure over a series of controversial Facebook posts supporting Hamas, endorsing September 11 conspiracy theories and making sexist comments.
Mayor Johnson selected Rev. Johnson as chairman of the school board after replacing the entire board when the previous members resigned en masse. Johnson and the other new board members were sworn in Oct. 24 during a meeting of the board’s agenda review committee.
The first-ever elected CPS board will take office next month, joining Mayor Johnson’s appointed members. Ten of the members were elected in November and 11 others would be chosen by Johnson.
The eleventh board member has not yet been announced.
