After Turbulent Months, New CPS School Board Moves toward ‘New Era’
Chicago’s first partially elected school board was sworn in on Wednesday, marking a historic moment after nearly two decades of grassroots parent activism and debates in the state legislature over whether voters should decide the direction of Chicago Public Schools (CPS).
The new board members were sworn in and met for the first time, with the political divisions that have dominated the period largely giving way to celebration. Board President Sean Harden, who was appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson in December, congratulated the new members for "being part of history as members of the largest public school board in the United States."
"Students and families across the city of Chicago have a board that reflects their neighborhoods and their best interests," Harden said. "I am incredibly optimistic about the future of the district and look forward to building new relationships, developing consensus with my fellow board members, and keeping students and families at the center of our work. We have an incredible opportunity to create an educational environment that is unmatched in the United States."
Only 20 members – 10 elected and 10 appointed by the mayor – participated in Monday’s meeting, which served as the monthly preview of the district’s proposals that will be considered at the board’s regular meeting on January 30. The mayor’s office has not yet named its 11th appointee to round out the 21-member board.
Board members filed into the newly renovated meeting room in the basement of CPS headquarters in the Loop, some taking photos with parents and others enjoying their new meeting space. Member-elect Yesenia López posed for photos in her seat with her family during the intermission of the meeting.
Che "Rhymefest" Smith, a Grammy Award-winning philanthropist and rapper, was among the most popular new board members asked for photo opportunities. Smith, elected in District 10, received loud cheers as he took his turn among the 20 board members who made brief remarks after his swearing-in.
"Traveling the world, living in different parts of the world, being able to win Academy Awards and Grammy Awards, that wasn’t the most beautiful thing in my life," Smith said. "The most beautiful thing in my life is being elected by a community that considers it appropriate to have a new era in education and that can see what the Chicago Public Schools can be."
Board member Norma Ríos-Sierra, a mayoral appointee in District 3, said, "Today marks a new chapter of hope." "For too long, our families have faced systemic barriers and countless inequalities in our educational system."
Aaron "Jitu" Brown, a longtime activist who won the District 5 election, reflected on the work that went into making the elected school board a reality.
"Thank you to everyone who believed in this moment," he said. "There is a phrase: ‘first they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they attack you, in the end you win.’ In 2006, when we handed out petitions at the Bud Billiken Day parade, we were laughed at. When we showed in 2014 that 90% of Chicago wanted an elected school board, they attacked us. And today, we are sitting here."
Even CPS CEO Pedro Martinez smiled and laughed. He has shown restraint in recent weeks while facing public criticism and was fired by the board last month.
"It’s an honor for me to be here," Brown said. "I am firmly committed to earning the respect of the children of the city of Chicago, to be able to look them in the face and say, ‘We are giving you an equitable school system.’"
Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) President Stacy Davis Gates told the board and audience in her public comments that she wanted to "apologize for getting emotional right now," recalling the efforts of the CTU for creating an elected school board, including its door-to-door knocking campaigns with Brown.
"I know for a fact that we are going to transform Chicago Public Schools into a place that provides an equitable and fair education no matter what neighborhood you live in," Davis Gates said.
There were only two brief hints of the divisions that have engulfed the board and CPS. The first occurred 40 minutes into the meeting, when there was a split vote for the vice presidency of the board. Jessica Biggs, an independent who won the election in District 6, was nominated against Olga Bautista, an appointee of the mayor. Bautista won 12-7 in a vote that ran largely along last year’s political lines, with CTU-backed or mayor-appointed candidates voting for Bautista and opponents voting for Biggs.
The other sensitive moment came when CTU charter school division president Jennifer Conant criticized an attempt by anti-CTU elected members last month to delay major decisions, including efforts to intervene in charter school closures. Seven-member board appointed by Johnson went ahead and voted to save the schools anyway.
Elected member Yesenia López posed for photos in her seat with her family during the intermission of the meeting.
Conclusion:
The swearing-in of the new Chicago Public Schools (CPS) board marks a significant milestone in the district’s history, bringing together a diverse group of individuals committed to creating a better educational environment for students and families across the city.
FAQs:
Q: What is the new CPS school board?
A: The new CPS school board is composed of 21 members, 10 of whom were elected and 10 of whom were appointed by the mayor.
Q: What is the role of the CPS school board?
A: The CPS school board is responsible for making decisions about the direction of the district and ensuring that students and families receive a high-quality education.
Q: What are the goals of the new CPS school board?
A: The goals of the new CPS school board include creating an educational environment that is equitable and fair, providing opportunities for students and families to thrive, and ensuring that the district is transparent and accountable.
