Boarded Board

Chicago has no school board:

The board was supposed to be Maytor Brandon Johnson's lapdogs. The former union organizer for the Chicago Teacher's Union believed he had the board in his back pocket. But then, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) started spending money it didn't have, creating a $1 billion budget shortfall. The board knew this shortfall was coming but passed its $9 billion budget anyway. To close that budget gap, Johnson wants to take out a $300 million loan at usurious rates. That may be only the beginning since the teachers have come to collect on their investment in Johnson. The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) is negotiating a new contract and they expect their handpicked mayor to back them in what promises to be the biggest, most expensive contract in the city's history. Standing in their way is the CEO of the school board, Pedro Martinez. Martinez opposes the loan idea. He'd rather cut some of the budget bloat and fat from the district. He and Johnson are at loggerheads over the loan, with the board caught in the middle. Johnson wants Martinez gone but the board refused to fire him. The school board will undergo many changes in January, including expanding the board to 21 members, 11 chosen by the mayor. Johnson denies it's a power play and played the race card to the fullest. “This is not about a loan,” Johnson said. “It is about investing in our children and not accepting cuts like for too long in this district. Guess who loses when we cut schools? Black and Brown children. I don’t want Black and Brown children to lose under my administration. In fact, they’re not going to lose under my administration. I’m going to fight for them.”

Because he's done such a great job so far...