Chicago school board to decide CPS leader's future
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The Chicago Board of Education has called a special meeting Friday to decide whether to fire Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez.
Why it matters: Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Teachers Union have seen Martinez as a roadblock in getting the terms they want in the union's contract.
- The decision to have the meeting now has frustrated incoming elected school board members, who argue such a vote should wait until they officially join the board next month.
Catch up quick: Johnson reportedly asked Martinez to resign earlier this year, but only the board has the power to fire the CEO.
- Johnson's handpicked board quit in October rather than fire Martinez, and Johnson selected an interim board.
- The mayor this week appointed six more members to the board, who will join the 10 recently elected members in January.
What they're saying: Neither CPS nor a lawyer who reportedly represents Martinez responded to Axios.
- When asked about Martinez in the past, Johnson has repeatedly said he doesn't comment on personnel issues.
State of play: The board offered Martinez a buyout earlier this month, WBEZ and the Sun-Times reported, but the CEO rejected it.
- Martinez's contract says he can be fired for cause, including incompetence, negligence, fraud and a range of other issues. Yet if he's fired without cause before his contract expires in 2026, the CEO is entitled to 20 weeks of severance. His annual salary is $350,000.
Between the lines: CTU isn't saying outright that it wants Martinez gone, only calling the scenario a "distraction" as it campaigns for a contract before Christmas.
- "It is our solidarity and resolve that will win these fights for our school communities like we always have, no matter who has been in the CEO chair," CTU said in a statement this week.
Zoom in: Newly elected school board members, who will officially join the 21-member board starting Jan. 15, are calling on the current board members to halt making any big decisions before next month.
- "Consider the legal jeopardy you're putting yourself in, consider the legal jeopardy you're putting CPS in, consider the disruption to our children," member-elect Che "Rhymefest" Smith said at a press conference Wednesday.
The bottom line: As Sun-Times education reporter Nader Issa wrote this week, the power struggle between Johnson and Martinez, and the collateral damage along the way, is unprecedented.
- Several teachers' strikes have occurred over the last decade, but historically the fight plays out with the mayor and CPS leader on the same side. That isn't the case with Johnson and Martinez.
What's next: The Chicago Board of Education meets at 5:45pm Friday.