The Race for the 1st District School Board Seat: A Choice Between Two Candidates

The race for the 1st District School Board seat in Chicago is heating up, with two candidates vying for the position: Jennifer Custer and Michelle Pierre. Both candidates have unique backgrounds and approaches to address the pressing issues facing the school district.

Supporting Neighborhood Schools vs. School Choice

As the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) board continues to shift its focus from a school-choice system to prioritizing neighborhood schools, Poon, a parent of a student at a local elementary school, is looking for a candidate who will prioritize funding for neighborhood schools. However, other parents with children at selective enrollment, charter, or magnet schools may want a candidate who will support those schools.

The two candidates have different approaches to this issue. Custer, a former educator and suburban union leader, is endorsed by the Chicago Teachers Union, which strongly supports neighborhood school focus. Pierre, a veteran education leader, is a strong advocate for school choice with financial backing from the Illinois Network of Charter Schools.

Budget and Administrative Costs

Both candidates oppose short-term borrowing for operating costs and support CEO Pedro Martinez, who has been embroiled in a dispute with Mayor Brandon Johnson over how to address a budget deficit. They also agree on the need to cut administrative costs to allocate more resources to schools.

Custer wants to raise property taxes to the maximum allowed to invest equally in neighborhood and charter schools. Pierre, on the other hand, is against raising property taxes and promises to review the CPS budget to identify areas where administrative costs can be reduced.

Key Issues and Strategies

Jennifer Custer

• Moved to Chicago 12 years ago from West Bend, Wisconsin
• Lives in the Dunning neighborhood and has a child at Locke Elementary, her neighborhood school
• Holds an M.S. in educational administration from Northern Illinois University
• Former assistant principal in Addison and taught in northwest suburban Itasca, where she was president of the teacher’s union
• Strongly supports neighborhood schools and does not support charter expansion
• Wants to build up bilingual programs and hire more bilingual teachers to meet the needs of the district’s Latino students

Michelle Pierre

• Native of New York and moved to Chicago six years ago
• Lives in the Montclare neighborhood and has a child at the Chicago High School for the Arts, a Humboldt Park contract school where she is a board member
• Holds a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Pennsylvania
• Former educator, teacher in the South Bronx, and chief academic officer of the Cleveland public schools, where she oversaw a $1 billion budget
• Believes her breadth of experience gives her an advantage over Custer

Conclusion

The 1st District School Board race offers voters a clear choice between two candidates with different backgrounds and approaches. While Custer is a strong supporter of neighborhood schools and the Chicago Teachers Union, Pierre has a breadth of experience in education leadership and a commitment to school choice. As voters deliberate on this critical decision, it is essential to consider the candidates’ stances on budget and administrative costs, their commitment to neighborhood and selective enrollment schools, and their vision for the district’s future.

FAQs

• Q: What is the candidates’ stance on charter schools?
  A: Both candidates support charter schools, but Custer does not support charter expansion.
• Q: How do the candidates plan to address the budget deficit?
  A: Both candidates propose reducing administrative costs and allocating more resources to schools, but Custer wants to raise property taxes to the maximum allowed, while Pierre promises to review the CPS budget.
• Q: What do the candidates prioritize in terms of education policy?
  A: Custer prioritizes neighborhood schools, while Pierre emphasizes school choice and charter schools.
• Q: Can the candidates be trusted to represent the interests of all parents and students?
  A: Both candidates have unique experiences and approaches, but Custer’s background as a former educator and union leader may make her more sympathetic to the concerns of neighborhood schools, while Pierre’s breadth of experience in education leadership may give her an edge in dealing with high-level budget decisions.