Mayor Appoints New Members to Fill CPS School Board
In a set of appointments that round out Chicago’s new 21-member Board of Education, Mayor Brandon Johnson tapped a group of mostly community organizers and activists and kept all but two of his current school board members.
The Mayor’s Appointees
The mayor’s 11 seats represent a majority of the school board and solidify his strong influence over Chicago Public Schools for the next two years. Johnson named 10 members Monday and said an 11th is still being vetted.
New School Board President
The mayor’s appointees are led by new school board president Sean Harden, a consulting executive who worked as an executive assistant to former Mayor Richard M. Daley in the mid 2000s, then for CPS as deputy CEO for community affairs from 2009 to 2011 under then-schools chief Ron Huberman. Since then, he has been involved in real estate development, community revitalization, and workforce development organizations.
Other Appointees
Four current board members are keeping their seats: longtime teacher and former CTU staffer Debby Pope from the North Side’s 2nd District; political consultant Michilla Blaise from the West Side’s District 5; labor and grassroots organizer Frank Niles Thomas in District 9 on the Far South Side; and community organizer Olga Bautista from the Southeast Side’s District 10. Mary Gardner and Rafael Yañez are leaving the board.
The mayor filled out the rest of his appointees with Ed Bannon, a longtime member of Dever Elementary’s Local School Council who ran for alderperson against Ald. Nick Sposato (38th) in 2023. Norma Rios-Sierra is a Logan Square artist, activist, and parent. Pastor Emma Lozano is a prominent immigration activist who described herself as a “champion for bilingual education” in the mayor’s office’s press release.
Karen Zaccor is one of two newly appointed members who had run an unsuccessful CTU-endorsed bid for an elected seat. Zaccor finished second among six candidates in a crowded race to represent the 4th District, which encompasses communities along the north lakefront. Zaccor just retired from teaching this past June after 28 years in the classroom.
Anusha Thotakura, who lost the race to represent District 6, will likely be the youngest member of the board and the only Asian American. She lives in the West Town neighborhood.
Community Concerns
Ahead of the announcement, some 140 parents organized by the advocacy group Kids First Chicago sent a letter to the mayor asking that he make sure the racial makeup of the board – the appointees together with the elected members – reflects the students in the district, who are nearly 90% Black and Latino.
In the end, seven of the 21 are white, six are Black, seven are Latino, and one is Asian American.
Conclusion
The mayor’s appointments will have a significant impact on the direction of Chicago Public Schools. With a majority of the board seats, Johnson will have a strong influence on policy decisions and the future of the district.
FAQs
Q: Who are the new members of the Chicago Public Schools Board of Education?
A: The new members include Sean Harden, Ed Bannon, Norma Rios-Sierra, Pastor Emma Lozano, Karen Zaccor, and Anusha Thotakura, among others.
Q: How many of the new members are people of color?
A: Seven of the 21 members are Black, seven are Latino, and one is Asian American.
Q: What is the makeup of the new board?
A: The board consists of 11 mayoral appointees and 10 elected members, with a total of 21 seats.
