CHICAGO (WLS) — Mayor Brandon Johnson announced six nominees to serve on the Chicago Board of Education.
All members of the current board resigned on Friday.
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“My vision is about building a system that works for everyone,” Mayor Johnson said. “Imagine our schools down a pathway of new discovery where you don’t have to senseless cuts and real disruption and chaos, You can actually have a school district that doesn’t embrace mass layoffs, massive school closings, austerity.”
The announcement was briefly interrupted by a small group of protesters.
The candidates are Olga Bautista, Michilla Blaise, Mary Gardner, the Rev. Mitchell L. Ikenna Johnson, Deborah Pope and Frank Niles Thomas.
Protesters interrupt Mayor Brandon Johnson as he announces appointments tot he Chicago Board of Education.
“I am confident that these individuals and their experience in education, community, faith, business and elsewhere will continue our work to transform Chicago Public Schools into a world class school district for students and families,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “As a CPS parent, I want the same thing for other CPS parents that I want for my own children, which is every class, every activity and every resource that will help build bright futures and bold leaders. I know these individuals will fight for our children to receive the investments they deserve, and will work with my administration and the district to put the needs of our students and families first.”
This all stems from the mayor’s push to remove CPS CEO Pedro Martinez.
Mayor Brandon Johnson described this as a – “a transition period to transform the school district.”
Monday morning, he announced the new interim appointees to the Chicago Board of Education. It’s an unprecedented move after the entire board announced their resignations on Friday.
Johnson wants Martinez out partly because he refused to take out a short-term, high interest loan to help pay for a new contract for the Chicago Teachers Union.
The mayor now plans to appoint interim board members before a new board, partly-elected in November, takes office in January.
The mayor over the weekend reiterated he was voted into office, because he has a plan to build a better school district.
Johnson said he’s honoring that campaign promise.
“I’m leading, I’m in charge,” Johnson said. “They elected a parent….We have schools on the West and South sides that don’t have librarians. That’s unconscionable.”
A majority of Chicago City Council members sent a letter to the mayor, voicing their concerns, and saying the board resignations bring instability to the district.
The mayor, along with other elected officials, will announce the seven new appointments to the Board later Monday.
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