Chicago mayor names new school board after entire panel resigns amid a fight over district control

CHICAGO — Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson named members of a new school board on Monday, days after all seven members resigned amid an escalating fight over control of the public schools in the nation's third-largest city.

During a news conference at a South Side church, Johnson introduced six new school board members and said he'd name a seventh at a later date. He said that although the new members are technically nominees who are still being vetted, it's a formality and they could remain after the board triples in size in January and goes to a hybrid model that will include 11 mayoral appointees and 10 elected members.

''I'm confident that these new candidates will work to lead CPS into the world class school system that our children deserve,'' Johnson said, referring to the name of the district, Chicago Public Schools.

Johnson has been trying to oust the district's CEO, Pedro Martinez, who was named to the job in 2021 by Johnson's predecessor, former Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Johnson, a former Chicago Teachers Union organizer, has clashed with Martinez, including over how best to close gaps in the district's nearly $10 billion budget. Martinez has refused to resign, citing the need for stability in the district.

Rather than step into the fray, all seven members announced their resignations on Friday — a stunning move during the tenure of a mayor who has touted his experience with schools and education equity in the largely low income district. The outgoing members, whose resignations will take effect at the end of the month, were handpicked by Johnson in 2023, months after he took office. They haven't commented about their resignations.

Chicago will hold its first school board elections next month, installing a 21-member hybrid board until 2027, when a fully elected board will take office.

Johnson's new picks do not require City Council approval, but a majority of aldermen signed a letter over the weekend criticizing the process and calling for a council hearing on the matter. Johnson's chief of staff, Cristina Pacione-Zayas, told reporters that the school district was vetting Johnson's picks for possible conflicts of interest.

The shakeup comes as contract talks between the city and the powerful teachers union have stalled. The district has offered 4% raises this year, and between 4% and 5% raises in each of the next three years, while the union has sought 9% annual raises.

After the Democratic-led Legislature rejected Johnson's requests for more state funding earlier this year, he pitched taking out a $300 million short-term, high-interest loan to cover costs. Martinez refused, calling it fiscally irresponsible. The district has been considering furloughs and other budget cuts for the current year, though details have not been finalized.

The school board passes the roughly 325,000-student district's budget, confirms its CEO, and approves its policies and contracts.

The new seven-person board will remain in place until a 21-person, partially elected board takes over in January.

Johnson announced the appointments at a church led by Bishop Larry Trotter, an influential Black Chicago pastor who has praised the mayor and his efforts in education. As he addressed the media, protesters waved signs that said ''Fire Brandon'' and chanted ''Not Legit!'' in reference to the appointments before they were led out by security. Some continued chanting during the news conference.