No Action Taken Thursday at CPS Board Meeting on Fate of CEO Pedro Martinez
Contract and Loan Ideas Left on Back Burner
The Board of Education didn’t take up Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez’s contract or Mayor Brandon Johnson’s loan idea at Thursday evening’s school board meeting. There had been significant anticipation that the tension at the nation’s fourth largest school system would come to a head and the meeting would prove decisive for Martinez’s future, after last week’s news that Johnson asked Martinez to resign and the schools chief’s public defense of his job and reputation this week.
Meeting Focuses on Contract Negotiations
Martinez largely didn’t address the tension, only saying he was encouraged by some progress in contract negotiations with the Chicago Teachers Union, touting the district’s offers on health and dental benefits, pay raises, lower class sizes and more teacher preparation time. “I’m excited to share that CPS has now responded to all 700-plus proposals originally presented to us by CTU last April,” Martinez said.
CTU Vice President Jackson Potter Calls for Action
In his comments, CTU Vice President Jackson Potter urged the board to pass a version of the resolution amended by the union that promised not to pursue “mass layoffs” or furloughs. “If you could exert a fraction of the energy and chutzpah you’ve exercised to defend your job to champion our students and full funding, we’d be well on our way to closing this projected deficit,” Potter said to a mix of jeers and cheers.
Board Approves School Closings Moratorium
The school board unanimously approved a self-imposed school closings moratorium that aimed to fend off CTU accusations that Martinez has been planning to close schools. Without naming the teachers union, Martinez has called those claims a “misinformation campaign” and “outright lies.”
Conclusions
The meeting didn’t take up the tense issues surrounding Martinez’s future, contract, or potential loan to fund a new Chicago Teachers Union contract. Instead, the focus remained on contract negotiations and passing a resolution to ban school closings. The dispute continues, with the teacher’s union calling for the board to take action on funding and the board, including its president, rejecting claims that Martinez is planning to close schools.
FAQs
* When did Mayor Brandon Johnson ask Pedro Martinez to resign? Last week.
* Has the board taken any action on the loan idea? No, the idea was left on the back burner.
* What does the school closings moratorium aim to do? Fend off CTU accusations that Martinez has been planning to close schools.
* Will the moratorium be reversed? Yes, it can be reversed at any time.
* Are there plans to close schools? Martinez and the board have denied any plans.
