Yesenia López Wins CPS School Board District 7 on the Southwest Side
Candidate Backed by Chicago Teachers Union Prevails in Expensive Campaign
Candidate Yesenia López, backed by the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), has prevailed in the race for school board District 7, according to the Associated Press, ahead of parent-mother candidates Eva Villalobos and Raquel Don, ending an expensive campaign.
The Candidates
López, Don, and Villalobos faced off in the city’s first elected school board race to represent the district that includes Pilsen, Little Village, Gage Park, Brighton Park, and the near northwest, along with parts of Bridgeport, Chinatown, and McKinley Park.
López is an executive assistant in the Illinois Secretary of State’s office and has worked with several area schools. Don and Villalobos are stay-at-home moms who volunteer in schools, and Don serves on two Local School Councils (LSC). Don is a parent of Chicago Public Schools (CPS) students, and López and Villalobos are CPS graduates.
The Campaign
The race and campaigns were branded — and funded — by CTU and the Illinois Charter School Network, which has financially backed Villalobos.
López’s victory is a victory for CTU, which had endorsed candidates from all 10 districts and had hopes of a strong presence on the new board.
López’s Platform
During the campaign, López focused primarily on improving neighborhood schools so that families would not feel the need to seek out charter or selective enrollment schools, which differentiated her from her opponents, who supported school choice.
Reaction
“It wasn’t Yesenia that was on the ballot, it was the community,” he said Tuesday night at the CTU election party.
“He warned that his job was not done, pointing to the money that was poured into the school board election from out of state,”
What’s Next
López is a graduate of Benito Juárez Community Academy, a Chicago public high school in Pilsen. He campaigned on the issue of improving dual language learning in the district, where many students are English learners.
Additional Facts
In a WBEZ/Sun-Times/Chalkbeat questionnaire, López said CPS CEO Pedro Martinez should keep his job, unlike Mayor Brandon Johnson, who Martinez said asked him to resign after a confrontation over how to solve the budget deficit.
As for reducing the district’s budget hole, López said the short-term borrowing suggested by the mayor is not the way to handle the district’s deficit.
Conclusion
Yesenia López’s victory is a significant win for the Chicago Teachers Union and a testament to the power of community involvement in local politics. As a graduate of a Chicago public high school and a dedicated advocate for improving education, López is well-positioned to serve the needs of the diverse community in District 7.
FAQs
Q: What was the outcome of the school board election in District 7?
A: Yesenia López won the election, backed by the Chicago Teachers Union.
Q: Who were the other candidates in the election?
A: Eva Villalobos and Raquel Don were the other two candidates in the election.
Q: What were the main issues in the campaign?
A: The main issues in the campaign were improving neighborhood schools, reducing the district’s budget deficit, and improving dual language learning in the district.
Q: What was the significance of the election in District 7?
A: The election in District 7 was significant because it was the first elected school board race in the city, and Yesenia López’s victory was a win for the Chicago Teachers Union and a testament to community involvement in local politics.
