CPS School Board: The Race in the South and Southwest Side’s District 8
The Candidates: Angel Gutierrez and Felix Ponce
The South and Southwest Side’s District 8 Chicago School Board race is heating up, with two candidates vying for the seat. Angel Gutierrez, a nonprofit consultant and former Chicago Public Schools band teacher, faces off against Felix Ponce, a former band director at Back of the Yards College Prep.
Angel Gutierrez
Gutierrez, 52, is a strong supporter of charter schools and believes that all CPS-funded schools, including neighborhood, selective enrollment, and charter schools, should be successful. He is also a proponent of school choice and does not support the board’s push to prioritize neighborhood schools over school choice.
Gutierrez has raised about $101,000, including $17,000 from the Illinois Network of Charter Schools (INCS) and its board members. He has also received support from the Urban Center Action, a group opposed to the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU).
Felix Ponce
Ponce, 30, grew up in Blue Island and now lives in McKinley Park. A former music teacher at Richards High School in Oak Lawn, he currently leads the marching and pep bands at Roosevelt University. He plans to send his toddler to CPS and is committed to making sure students in his district have access to quality education.
Ponce takes a more neighborhood-focused approach, advocating for increased resources for neighborhood schools and preserving existing charter schools. He believes that school choice should be supported, but only if it is accompanied by the necessary resources to ensure that neighborhood schools are fully funded.
The Candidates’ Stances on Key Issues
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School Choice
+ Angel Gutierrez: Supports school choice, believes all CPS-funded schools should be successful
+ Felix Ponce: Supports school choice, but wants more resources for neighborhood schools
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Police in Schools
+ Angel Gutierrez: Supports having police in individual schools if the school wants it
+ Felix Ponce: Opposes having police in schools
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CPS CEO Pedro Martinez
+ Angel Gutierrez: Supports keeping Martinez as CEO
+ Felix Ponce: Wants Martinez to go
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Budget and Funding
+ Both candidates agree that the proposed high-interest loan to fill this year’s budget shortfall is a bad idea
+ Both candidates are opposed to raising the property tax levy to the maximum each year
Conclusion
The race in District 8 is a critical one, with both candidates vying for the support of the local community. With the Chicago Teachers Union and its affiliates backing Felix Ponce, and the Illinois Network of Charter Schools and the Urban Center Action supporting Angel Gutierrez, this election is likely to be a closely contested one.
FAQs
* Q: What are the key issues in this election?
A: School choice, police in schools, CPS CEO Pedro Martinez, and budget and funding.
* Q: Who is supporting the candidates?
A: The Chicago Teachers Union and its affiliates are supporting Felix Ponce, while the Illinois Network of Charter Schools and the Urban Center Action are supporting Angel Gutierrez.
* Q: What are the candidates’ positions on school choice?
A: Angel Gutierrez supports school choice, while Felix Ponce supports school choice, but wants more resources for neighborhood schools.
