Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s appointed school board unanimously voted to dismiss Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez, wrapping up months of attempts to remove him. Martinez will continue in his role for an additional six months and will receive approximately $130,000 in severance pay. Just prior to the vote, Martinez’s legal team filed motions alleging that the board members were chosen to align with the preferences of Mayor Johnson.
Martinez declined a buyout and refused to resign at the mayor’s request in September, which ultimately led to his dismissal following months of conflict with the teachers’ union, a key ally of the mayor. This unusual situation occurs just weeks before Chicago’s new partially elected school board takes over, coinciding with ongoing negotiations with the Chicago Teachers Union for a new contract.
After a 90-minute private session, the board voted around 9 p.m. and left without addressing media inquiries. Prior to the vote, newly elected school board members, educational organizations, and former CPS leaders Arne Duncan and Janice Jackson issued public statements supporting the idea of allowing the new board to decide Martinez’s fate. This list expanded on Friday to include U.S. Representative Chuy Garcia and Yesenia Lopez, a newly elected school board member who received backing from the Chicago Teachers Union, which had previously criticized Martinez and voted no confidence in him last fall.
During the meeting, a group of principals voiced their support for Martinez and expressed worries about CTU proposals that could reduce students’ instructional time. The principals’ union has raised similar concerns in recent weeks. In contrast, Jackson Potter, the vice president of the Chicago Teachers Union, mentioned that the union has made significant strides in negotiations this week and is seeking a prompt agreement.
