All seven board members are expected to step down, paving the way for Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson to appoint members who will do as he wants: fire the CEO and take a loan to fill a budget gap.
The entire Chicago Board of Education is resigning, a stunning development after months of acrimony that clears the way for Mayor Brandon Johnson to appoint a new board that will follow his orders — fire schools CEO Pedro Martinez, make a contract deal with the Chicago Teachers Union and take a loan to cover a city pension payment and the teachers’ contract this year.
Johnson confirmed Friday in an exclusive interview that the expected resignations of all seven board members will come later this month. This was followed by a joint statement from the School Board and the mayor. WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times first reported the possibility of resignations on Monday.
The motives behind the mass resignations appear to be complicated. The board has seemed to back Martinez in clashes with Johnson at times but has also had its own concerns with Martinez’s performance, WBEZ and the Sun-Times previously reported.
