Mayor Johnson rejects criticism of the school board's resignations, arguing they are preventing CPS budget cuts

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is very upset after announcing his entire selection The Education Committee resigns. This weekend, 41 of the city's 50 council members signed a letter warning that the resignations would lead to “further instability” in the school district. They are demanding a hearing before board members are replaced.

The mayor wants to appoint new members on Monday.

The resignations come after the board failed to comply with the mayor's plan to borrow to cover this year's expected budget deficit or his demand to oust Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez.

The district also faces large deficits in the coming years and is in contract negotiations with the Chicago Teachers Union, where Johnson was an organizer before becoming mayor.

Johnson sat down with WBEZ education reporter Sarah Karp to explain his position and why he expects additional revenue from state lawmakers. Johnson initially responded to criticism that his demands were too harsh.

Mayor Johnson: It's no surprise, Sarah, that the people who are upset with me right now as we sit through and move into this transformative moment… are the same people who saw black women cry as their jobs were taken away from them, and then do it These black women are responsible for the conditions in which black children grew up in abject poverty – (and) many of them are tied to administrations that have not only closed schools and privatized assets, but also closed public housing, the special pension provision took over and I gave it to greedy corporate interests, spent all the money, left me the bill, and now they're mad because I'm actually doing what I promised on behalf of the parents, even though they left a trail of disaster behind them.

Sarah Karp: Some criticism is that people see this as a power grab since the new board members' job will be to replace Schools CEO Martinez. I'm wondering if that's your expectation, and if so, why not wait until there's at least a partially elected board that could help?

Johnson: So this is about the expression of power that the people of Chicago have wanted in this city for a very long time. And no, we will not continue to ask parents to wait. We will not continue to ask workers to wait. And this is certainly not about a single person or anyone's single job. This is about the thousands of families like mine who rely on the school district. That's what it will always be about for me.

Karp: Does that mean you still want Martinez replaced – sooner rather than later?

Johnson: This is not about a single person. That's not it, and you know, Sarah, I don't discuss personnel issues, not publicly. Well, what this is really about is realizing my vision for public education.

Karp: If Springfield doesn't come through at the end of this year, will the school district end up in a vicious cycle of having to borrow to make payroll for future years, or will it eventually have to endure layoffs and other drastic measures? balance the budget?

Johnson: I'm glad you added this part to your question since this isn't about a loan. It's about investing in our children and not accepting cuts. That's all it's done in this district for too long. And guess who loses if we cut schools? Black and brown children. I don't want black and brown children to lose under my administration. In fact, they will not lose under my government.

Karp: What happens if that money isn't received by next May and Chicago Public Schools faces a $900 million deficit?

Johnson: That's a legitimate question. It's just important to know how we got here. And I think, I hope you know how we got here, right? Because one administration after another they spent all the money, and those bad habits they picked up in the '90s when I was in high school are now leaving the tab to Generation X. Imagine that before. We have limited local options. And as a parent, as a teacher, I will do everything I can, along with our partners here in Chicago and the Southland. Because here’s the thing – it’s a question for Chicago. It's a question for the entire state of Illinois.

Sarah Karp takes over the training for WBEZ. Follow her on X @WBEZeducation And @sskedreporter.