Education
Martinez Firing at CPS Draws Strong Reactions
Chicago Public Schools will be searching for its next CEO after a highly contested decision by the school board to fire Pedro Martinez
The vote on Friday night was unanimous but the move highlighted the divide amongst the city's leaders about the future of public schools.
The threats to the CEO’s job drew pushback from elected officials at every level from Chicago City Council to the U.S. Congress, pushback from incoming board members and scores of principals, and legal action by Martinez’s lawyer.
Ald. William Hall (6th Ward) has spoken out against Martinez’s leadership while describing the conditions of schools in his ward as “prison-like.”
“We need someone who has innovation and advocacy,” Hall said. “In order to have that, you must have one that’s among us. The issues in which I’m explaining are issues of Black kids…and for there to be resistance when there is evidence clearly in our face of prison conditions that have not been addressed under his leadership, I can only speak about what I know and what I've walked through, and what I've seen is prison like conditions that are being funded without any advocacy to stop.”
The Latino Leadership Council called the decision a “betrayal of progress.” Vice Chairman Carlos Montoya said Martinez hasn’t been given a chance to show what he can do.
“It's still in a time of extraordinary tumult,” Montoya said. “There’s too much going on, outgoing groups in coming groups having been appointed, newly elected folks. I don’t see where this, with all that the city has to tackle right now, including being potentially ground zero for a mass deportation, that you need to put hundreds of thousands of students at risk.”
Under the conditions of his contract, Martinez will serve six more months as CEO which will complete the current school year.
Nick Blumberg contributed.
