Judge for yourself: Mayor Johnson vs. Donald Trump in the 2024 CPS School Board races
Jennie Jiang is still deciding who’ll get her vote in Chicago’s 3rd District school board race on the Near Northwest Side. But as she looks for information ahead of Tuesday’s election, she’s found herself “annoyed at the messaging and the politics.”
A battle for space
Candidates vie for space for their signs outside early voting locations, such as at Welles Park in Lincoln Square.
And the races in the 10 voting districts have attracted big money. More than $7 million has been raised so far. This includes individual contributions to campaigns, as well as spending by political action and independent expenditure committees, or super PACs.
The money game
Two groups that advocate for charter schools and are highly critical of the Chicago Teachers Union have spent about $3 million, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections. The teachers union has spent $1.6 million on its endorsed candidates through its own political action committees and at least eight other affiliated PACs.
Fliers and messaging
Fliers sent to Chicago voters ahead of the 2024 November general election for school board members in Districts 2 and 4.
These campaign mailers were sent to prospective Chicago school board voters from Districts 2 and 4.
Some billionaires, such as California-based Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and Arkansas resident and Walmart heir Jim Walton, have shelled out six-figure sums to INCS and Urban Center Action. So have Chicagoans philanthropist Helen Zell and entrepreneur Joe Mansueto. The union has argued that those individuals and groups have the same interests — privatizing public education — as Project 2025.
Divided political landscape
Not all the spending has gone for attack ads. Much of it has also been spent on positive ads that focus on a candidate’s qualifications and why they are running, and some candidates have said they appreciate the support.
INCS President Andrew Broy said the group’s anti-Johnson and anti-CTU messaging is valid because the candidates they’re opposing are endorsed by the union. He said there’s “no basis” for the CTU calling candidates puppets of Trump.
Consequences of outside money
INCS has also criticized CTU for funding multiple political committees under different names, obscuring the extent to which they are supporting candidates.
Graciela Guzman, a CTU ally who’s running for the state Senate’s 20th District on the city’s Northwest Side, said the progressive education movement is “defending public education.”
We refuse to let outside billionaires and special interests hijack the school board that our communities fought so hard to create,” she said last week at a news conference about big outside money.
Expert analysis
It’s not surprising that Chicago has attracted big money from both inside and outside the city, said Jeffrey R. Henig, political science professor emeritus at Columbia University, who wrote the book “Outside Money in School Board Elections: The Nationalization of Education Politics.”
Henig said the local business community is likely stressed about the loss of mayoral control of the school system, where they might feel it’s easier to interact with and influence City Hall and the school board.
The super PACs run by INCS and Urban Center Action, which are behind a lot of the fliers landing in people’s homes, are prohibited by law from coordinating directly with campaigns — rules that are often flouted and hard to enforce.
Candidate reactions
Some candidates, including Ellen Rosenfeld in the North Side’s 4th District, haven’t appreciated the support. In a statement, Rosenfeld said she’s a lifelong Democrat who strongly opposes Trump and Project 2025. She has been endorsed by several Democratic organizations, liberal groups, and establishment Democrat politicians.
It is clear that these conservative organizations see me as the only candidate capable of defeating Mayor Brandon Johnson and the CTU-backed candidate in District 4, and they have jumped on my bandwagon without an invitation,” she said.
Other candidates who are benefiting from the spending are somewhat bewildered by it. Miquel Lewis, who is running in the 9th District on the far Southwest Side, also said he’s a lifelong Democrat, even as some mailers link him to Trump. At the same time, there’s been about $426,580 spent by super PACs trying to convince voters to support him or claiming his opponent is a pawn of the mayor.
Any outside spending in this race is outside my control,” Lewis said. “I am a parent and a public servant, I’m focused on knocking on doors and talking to families across the district.”
Conclusion
The 2024 CPS school board races have become a battleground for big money and partisan politics, with outside groups and special interests pouring in millions to sway the outcome. As voters navigate the complex landscape, it’s essential to separate fact from fiction and evaluate the candidates on their merits, not based on misleading or false information.
FAQs
* What is the current situation in the 2024 CPS school board races?
The races have attracted big money, with over $7 million raised so far, and outside groups and special interests pouring in millions to sway the outcome.
* Who are the main players in the race?
The Chicago Teachers Union, the Illinois Network of Charter Schools, and the Urban Center Action are some of the main players in the race, with the CTU backing some candidates and the other groups backing others.
* What are the main issues in the race?
The main issues in the race include the role of the mayor in the school system, the role of charter schools, and the impact of big money in politics.
* How should voters evaluate the candidates?
Voters should evaluate the candidates based on their qualifications, experience, and policy positions, rather than relying on misleading or false information.
