City, state leaders shocked by school board resignation

City and state officials are reacting with "shock" and "extreme…concern" to news that Chicago's entire school board will resign and be replaced by Mayor Brandon Johnson appointees, who will serve a few months before a partially elected board takes power.

Why it matters: Their opposition could hamper Johnson's attempts to quickly install a new board and pass controversial directives that stalled under the outgoing board.

State of play: Forty-one alders, including close Johnson allies, signed a letter Saturday calling for a City Council hearing before the end of the month to vet prospective appointees.

• "A School Board full of lame-duck appointees carrying out only a few months of a term before residents get a chance to elect representatives [on Nov. 5] is not what is in our best interest," the letter reads.
• North Side State Rep. Ann Williams further demanded: "Major decisions which have significant impacts on the future of the Chicago Public Schools should not be made until the new school board is in place."
• When asked about potential board resignations last weeks, Gov. JB Pritzker said he hoped for none and "at minimum, let's elect those new members."

The other side: In a WBEZ interview Friday, Johnson characterized critics as former city or CPS officials "tied to administrations that not only closed schools and privatized assets, but shut down public housing, took the dedicated string for pensions and gave it to greedy corporate interests, spent all the money, left me with the bill."

• "And now they're mad that I'm actually doing what I promised I would do on behalf of parents, even though they have left a trail of harm."

Catch up fast: Johnson appointed the outgoing board in July 2023 amid predictions it would act as his rubber stamp.

• But this summer it defied the mayor by passing a budget without a high-interest loan he wanted to cover non-teacher pensions and a new Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) contract.
• The board further declined to fire CPS CEO Pedro Martinez, who says Johnson asked for his resignation — a contention the mayor disputes.

The big picture: The move throws the district into further chaos as it tries to finalize a budget and negotiate a contract with the CTU, Johnson's former employer.

What's next: The mayor is expected to introduce his new appointees at a South Side event Monday morning.