Chicago alderman wants City Council oversight of CPS Board picks

A Chicago alderman proposed a law change that would give the City Council more of a say in the mayor’s appointments to the city’s Board of Education.

Conway's proposal

What we know:

Ald. Bill Conway (34th Ward) pointed out in a news release the Board of Education is the only sister agency in the city for which alderpeople don’t review and approve mayoral appointments.

Conway said he will introduce legislation that would give the City Council oversight over the mayor’s appointment to the Board of Education like it does for other agencies like CTA, the park district, housing authority, and others.

There is a vacancy on the board after one member appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson resigned after the discovery of alleged antisemitic remarks made on social media.

Conway said he anticipates other vacancies in the future. In 2027, the board will consist entirely of members who were elected.

Power struggle at CPS

The backstory:

The alderman’s proposal comes after a power struggle erupted last year when Mayor Brandon Johnson appointed six new members to the CPS board. That came after the entire board resigned in October.

Johnson had reportedly been pressuring CPS CEO Pedro Martinez to resign after a disagreement over taking out a high-interest loan to fund a new contract with teachers.

The shift came just weeks before Chicago voters elected new members of the board for the first time in the city’s history. Those members will be sworn in on Wednesday to constitute a hybrid body.

Johnson's appointed board members eventually voted to fire Martinez, a move criticized by City Council members.

What they're saying:

In a statement, Conway argued, "Providing the City Council with oversight of appointments to the Chicago Board of Education is not only good government, but it’s also becoming increasingly necessary for our students’ future. My common-sense legislation will bring CPS into alignment with every other sister agency of the city. If we had been given this opportunity to collaborate sooner, perhaps we could have avoided some of the chaos that has left the city’s fiscal health and schools in an unfortunate and unstable situation."

What's next:

Conway said the proposed ordinance will be introduced at the City Council meeting on Wednesday.

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