With Chicago’s Board of Schooling assembly for the ultimate time this week earlier than {a partially} elected board takes over in January, some officers are warning the present board in opposition to making any massive choices earlier than then — together with ousting Chicago Public Colleges CEO Pedro Martinez.
An alderperson, a newly elected board member and a few schooling advocates held a information convention Monday urging the board to not fireplace Martinez. They’re amongst many who’ve supported the faculties chief and opposed efforts by Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Academics Union to push him out. Virtually 700 principals and assistant principals additionally signed a letter asking the board to carry off on adjustments.
Later, 21 alderpersons signed on to a letter to the college board providing their “full assist” for Martinez’s retention. “We ardently consider that CEO Martinez is the logical option to information CPS by way of these troubled occasions,” they wrote.
“I believe it’s solely proper that the non permanent board ought to adhere to the parents which might be concerned in schooling to attend till any sort of main choices are accomplished,” mentioned Ald. Gilbert Villegas (thirty sixth), who signed the letter.
WBEZ and Chicago Solar-Occasions reported final week that the college board supplied Martinez a buyout within the newest effort to get him to depart. Negotiations are ongoing, however Martinez has to date not taken the provide.
Ald. Gilbert Villegas (thirty sixth) spoke at a information convention Monday about CPS CEO Pedro Martinez’s future. “I believe it’s solely proper that the non permanent board ought to adhere to the parents which might be concerned in schooling to attend till any sort of main choices are accomplished.”
Ashlee Rezin/Solar-Occasions file
The strain might come to a head this week, both by way of a settlement or Martinez’s dismissal. The varsity board is about to launch its agenda on Tuesday for this Thursday’s scheduled assembly. A vote to fireside Martinez must be explicitly listed on that agenda for motion to be taken, authorized consultants have mentioned.
The mayor and his handpicked board, which was appointed after your entire earlier board resigned in October, may very well be feeling a way of urgency to behave. They’re shut allies of the Chicago Academics Union, whose leaders are insisting they land a contract settlement earlier than mid-January when the brand new board takes over and President-elect Donald Trump takes workplace.
Whereas each CTU and CPS say some progress has been made in contract talks, they continue to be far aside on some main points. That features monetary phrases and others which might be extra policy-related.
Carlos Rivas Jr., elected to the college board within the third District, mentioned he’d prefer to have time to guage Martinez’s efficiency as soon as he takes workplace in January even when it takes a bit for the brand new board to stand up to hurry. However he mentioned he hoped the board would hold Martinez.
“I wouldn’t need us to be put within the place of much less autonomy and functionality to resolve issues for the district,” Rivas mentioned.
