Chicago alderman calls for school board to wait on major decisions until elected members join
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36th) wants the Chicago Board of Education to pause on any major changes until the new hybrid board with elected members takes over.
"January 15, 2025, the new hybrid school board that Chicagoans elected will transition in," Villegas said Monday. "It should be that board that begins the process of bringing back stability to our school district. They are the ones that voters picked."
Villegas was joined by educational advocates as he demanded that Chicago school board members wait on any new decisions.
This includes a decision on the future of Chicago Public Schools Chief Executive Officer Pedro Martinez. For months, sources have been saying that Martinez and Mayor Brandon Johnson have been at odds for months, and that Mayor Johnson is trying to oust Martinez.
Mayor Johnson has explicitly denied asking Martinez to resign, and only the Chicago Board of Education can fire him. Reports last week said Martinez has been offered a buyout, but did not take the offer.
The mayor supports taking out a $300 million loan for teachers' raises and CPS pension payments—and Martinez stands in the way.
Back in October, all members of the previous school board announced they would resign en masse. They were replaced with a whole new board made up of Johnson's appointees, who met to discuss their agenda for the end of the year Wednesday.
The current school board meets this coming Thursday.
