Listen To Story Above
Chicago’s school leadership underwent a dramatic shakeup as Mayor Brandon Johnson’s newly appointed board members voted to remove CEO Pedro Martinez, raising concerns about the timing and motives behind the change.
The politically charged decision came after Martinez opposed the mayor’s proposal for a $300 million high-interest loan intended to fund teacher pay raises amid the city’s financial difficulties. Martinez’s resistance to this plan, which would have benefited the teachers’ union that supported Johnson’s election, led to increasing pressure from the mayor’s office for his resignation.
BREAKING: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s hand-picked school board just voted unanimously to fire Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez without cause. Johnson and the Chicago Teachers Union have been pushing for months to oust Martinez following his refusal to back Johnson’s… https://t.co/n8DCQAi9kt pic.twitter.com/ZYTmyw2hwK
— Austin Berg (@Austin__Berg) December 21, 2024
The situation intensified in October when all seven board members resigned in protest of the mayor’s pressure campaign. Taking advantage of his current authority to appoint the entire school board, Johnson quickly installed six new members, all with strong ties to the teachers’ union. These appointees then proceeded to terminate Martinez’s position in a unanimous 6-0 vote on December 20.
Johnson’s initial attempt to reshape the board faced a setback when his first choice for board president, Rev. Mitchell Ikenna Johnson (no relation to the mayor), stepped down shortly after his appointment following the discovery of antisemitic social media posts.
The timing of these changes appears particularly strategic, as a significant transformation in board structure looms. On January 15, a new hybrid board will take effect, comprising 10 elected members from November’s elections and 11 mayoral appointees, following recent state legislation that reduces the mayor’s control over the board.
BREAKING: Chicago school board unanimously voted to FIRE the CEO of Chicago Public Schools, Pedro Martinez 🚨
He was terminated without cause.
The vote was 6 to 0.
👇🧵 pic.twitter.com/QebZVOhRnb— Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) December 21, 2024
This rapid succession of changes has drawn sharp criticism from Chicago City Council members. During a special board meeting, Alderman Nicholas Sposato condemned the new appointees, calling them “a bunch of political hacks that are stepping in to do some dirty work.” Alderman Silvana Tabares added to the criticism, describing Johnson as a “walking conflict of interest” due to his close alignment with the Chicago Teachers Union’s interests over those of students and voters.
The controversial moves have been so contentious that they prompted Crain’s Chicago Business to call for Johnson’s resignation, highlighting the growing concern over the mayor’s governance approach and its implications for the city’s educational system.
