Last week, all seven members of the Chicago Board of Education resigned in the midst of contentious contract negotiations with the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), and increasing pressure from CTU and Mayor Brandon Johnson to oust Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez. The mayor and his former union have been pushing for Martinez’s resignation over his refusal to approve a high-interest loan to pay for the CTU’s new contract.
CTU has been in collective bargaining negotiations with Martinez and the school board since March. The union’s previous contract expired on June 30.
The Chicago Teachers Union has been criticized both for its expensive demands and its lopsided internal spending. CTU’s demands have been reported to include using schools as homeless shelters, mandatory training on LGBTQ+ issues, and a 100% electric bus fleet.
CTU’s internal spending also reflects a lack of investment in teachers, as it sends nearly 50% of each member’s dues to its state and national affiliates. Furthermore, CTU spends just 19.76% of its remaining money on representation, according to Illinois Policy Institute.
Mayor Johnson, a former CTU member and organizer himself, has already appointed individuals to six of the seven open seats on the board of education. According to the Associated Press, the appointees include another former CTU member and an environmental activist, indicating the new school board will likely be accommodating to the teachers union’s agenda.
The board’s makeup was already set for a big shakeup in January as it will expand from seven seats to 21 seats, introducing a combination of elected (10) and appointed (11) positions. This hybrid board will remain in effect until 2027, when a fully elected 21-member board enters office. Johnson has stated that he intends for his current appointees to remain on the board following the reorganization.