Chicago Mayor Brandon JohnsonOn Monday, he contrasted the approach of his critics, who oppose school spending, when it comes to freeing slaves.
Johnson said, “When our people wanted to be free and to be free in this country, the logic was, ‘You can’t free black people because it would be too expensive.’ “He said it would be economically irresponsible for this country to free black people.”
During a news conference at a South Side church on Monday, Johnson said that when he ran for mayor, he promised to change the city’s public. Education system.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson answers a question during a news conference where he introduced his six nominees to the Chicago Board of Education on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
“I’m a man of my word, and that means bold leadership in the moment, without beating around the bush and looking for incremental gains,” he said. “Our people in this city are tired of political leaders who want the status quo to remain, and then when kids don’t get what they deserve, they blame the very communities they have participated in. My Watch “Not in.”
Johnson said the status quo and the mistakes of the past, which left students behind, will not continue.
“And then the so-called experts, the so-called fiscally responsible managers are making the same argument. When our people wanted to be free and liberated in this country, the argument was, ‘You can’t free black people because that would be too much. Be expensive,” Johnson said. “He said it would be economically irresponsible for this country to free black people.
He added, “And now when it comes to public education in this system you have critics who are making the same arguments about the union.” “These are the people who carry out these gimmicks, lie to our people, steal money from our people, refuse to pay into the pension system, leave taxpayers with the bill, and fix it.” Leave the responsibility to me.”
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson compared the attitudes of those who disagree with him about school spending to slavery. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Johnson vowed to build a world-class school district instead of leaving students behind and firing teachers and staff.
He said, “City leaders have long resisted investing in our children. I will not accept the status quo any longer.” “We have schools right now that don’t have money for buses to take their kids to sporting events. We have a system right now that can’t adequately bus kids to the places where they go.” That’s what they believe in, and that’s why I was chosen to come and fight.”
During the press conference, Johnson introduced six new nominees to the school board, and said he would name a seventh at a later date.
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On Monday, October 7, 2024, a group of residents disrupted a news conference as Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson introduced his six nominees to the Chicago Board of Education. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
The mayor referred to his six new school board nominees as members, though he said they were still being vetted as a formality. Once the investigation is complete, Johnson’s nominee could remain on the board when it triples its size in January and switches to a hybrid model consisting of 11 mayoral appointees and 10 elected members.
“I am confident that these new candidates will work to lead CPS into the world-class school system that our children deserve,” Johnson said, referring to Chicago Public Schools. “I will continue to nominate Chicagoans who are dedicated to meeting the needs of our students.”
Johnson has tried to remove district CEO Pedro Martinez, who was nominated to his post in 2021 by Johnson’s predecessor, then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
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as a former Chicago Teachers Union Organizers Johnson has clashed with Martinez over the best way to close the gap in the district’s nearly $10 billion budget. Martinez has refused to resign from his position, saying the district needs stability.
On Friday, all seven board members announced they would resign from their posts by the end of the month.
Johnson elected all outgoing members in 2023, just months after taking office.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
