Entire Chicago School board resigns over union dispute

There's a bombshell coming out of Illinois, and there's no telling how it could impact the rest of the country.

According to ABC7Chicago.com, "The entire Chicago Board of Education will resign, the office of Mayor Brandon Johnson said Friday. The Chicago Public Schools shakeup with the mass resignation of all seven members of Johnson's hand-picked board paves the way for the mayor the reappoint a board who will be willing to act on Johnson's wish to oust CPS CEO Pedro Martinez."

It's not clear whether or not the entire board resigned in protest, or the members were forced out.

Either way, it's disturbing to know that despite the mayor being just one man, he has the power to impact this many people.

Brandon Johnson can't worry about how this makes him look though, he's simply trying to accomplish his goals.

According to ABC, "The mayor is moving quickly to name new board members. That will happen Monday morning. However, the action is still unsettling to many in the district."

"It's shocking," said a parent in the Chicago Public Schools system. "We're all, I guess, going to have to find out what comes out in the wash. I would love to know what was said behind closed doors."

Ald. Brian Hopkins said that Chicago deserves to know WHY the board is resigning:

"For years, we've heard the far left of Chicago scream about elected school board, elected school board now they're getting an elected school board, and yet they want to take it over in a last minute coup and appoint people," Hopkins said. "That's wrong."

The mayor's office released a statement in response:

Mayor Brandon Johnson and members of the Chicago Board of Education are enacting a transition plan which includes all current members transitioning from service on the Board later this month. With the shift to a hybrid elected and appointed Board forthcoming, current Board members and Mayor Johnson understand that laying a strong foundation for the shift is necessary to serve the best interests of students and families in Chicago Public Schools.

Together, Mayor Johnson and the Board fulfilled many objectives of the Johnson Administration's vision for Chicago's public schools, including shifting away from inequitable student-based budgeting, completing the change to a school safety model that does not rely on school resource officers and focusing on Black Student Success. Their partnership also improved special education services, increased charter school accountability in the renewal process and embarked on a new five-year strategic plan that emphasizes continued progress, investing in neighborhood schools and expanding the Sustainable Community School model in lieu of school closures.

None of the members leaving the current Board planned to continue onto the hybrid Board, and none are running for election. With the unprecedented increase in Board membership, transitioning new members now will allow them time to orient and gain critical experience prior to welcoming additional elected and appointed members in 2025.

What a mess.

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