Chicago Schools Watchdog Urges ‘Vigilance’ Against Improper Political Activity
Inspector General’s Annual Report Highlights Concerns Amid School Board Elections
Chicago Public Schools Inspector General is urging vigilance against improper political activity by district employees and campaigns as the city is now electing school board members.
Investigation into Former Mayor’s Campaign Staff
The recommendations, made in the Office of the Inspector General’s annual report, follow an investigation into former Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s campaign staff emailing teachers to solicit student volunteers. That investigation found no coordination between the school district and Lightfoot’s campaign but rather “poor management and oversight.”
Students’ Involvement and Non-Disclosure Agreements
Eight students volunteered for the former mayor’s 2023 unsuccessful bid for a second term as a result of the emails to CPS teachers. However, none received class credit as the email initially promised, the investigation found. The inspector general also found these students all signed non-disclosure agreements without their parents’ knowledge, which Lightfoot denied knowing about and admitted was inappropriate.
Inspector General’s Recommendations
The report noted that the findings in this case raise important questions for CPS with the advent of school board elections in Chicago. “The District must maintain vigilance against candidates and campaigns attempting to exert pressure on CPS employees and students,” the report said.
District’s Response
This past September, the district sent school board member candidates guidance on their ethical obligations under the CPS Code of Ethics. The email included links to a school board member’s legal and ethical requirements and a video explaining what is and isn’t acceptable political activity for CPS staff.
Newly Appointed Board Members’ Ethics Training
In the report, CPS also said the new board members appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson last fall received ethics training in October. A district spokesperson confirmed it took place on October 18. Newly appointed board members were given an ethics presentation and also provided with the political activities video outlining CPS policies.
Students’ Service Learning Projects
The district also confirmed to the Office of the Inspector General that students do not get credit for volunteering on campaigns. But a district spokesperson did not say how long that has been district policy.
Service Learning Project Guidelines
High school students must complete a service learning project in order to graduate. But the district said service learning projects “should be linked to current academic goals and classroom curriculum and should build social, civic, and academic skills.” They cannot be “partisan-oriented” but can include lessons about elections, including raising awareness about voting or organizing a voter registration event.
Conclusion
The inspector general’s report highlights the importance of maintaining vigilance against improper political activity by district employees and campaigns. As the city is now electing school board members, it is crucial for the district to ensure that its employees and students are not pressured into participating in political activities.
FAQs
* What is the purpose of the inspector general’s report?
The report aims to highlight concerns and make recommendations to prevent improper political activity by district employees and campaigns.
* What was the investigation about?
The investigation was about former Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s campaign staff emailing teachers to solicit student volunteers.
* What were the findings of the investigation?
The investigation found no coordination between the school district and Lightfoot’s campaign but rather “poor management and oversight.” It also found that students who volunteered for the campaign did not receive class credit and signed non-disclosure agreements without their parents’ knowledge.
* What are the district’s responses to the investigation?
The district has taken steps to filter out political emails sent to CPS email addresses and has provided ethics training to newly appointed board members.
* What is the district’s policy on students’ service learning projects?
The district’s policy is that service learning projects should be linked to current academic goals and classroom curriculum and should build social, civic, and academic skills. They cannot be “partisan-oriented” but can include lessons about elections.
