Teachers union: Elect school board members, not appoint
Teachers, parents, students and community groups are urging state legislators and Chicago’s next mayor to revamp the current school board to include elected members.
By doing so, Karen Lewis, president of the Chicago Teachers Union, said it would allow for more input from parents who have children attending public schools.
“By establishing an elected school board it would give democracy a choice,” Lewis told the Defender at a Dec. 29 press conference and rally held at the Thompson Center. “The community needs to be a part of the school board and that can be best achieved by having a student, parent and community resident as members.”
Norm Bobbins, Peggy Davis, Roxanne Ward, Clare Munana, Dr. Tariq Butt and Alberto Carrero Jr. are members of the current school board. Mary Richardson-Lowry serves as the board’s president. All of them were appointed by Mayor Richard M. Daley.
Lewis and community organizations are proposing that members consist of three residents from the South Side, two from the West Side, two from the North Side, two school teachers, one academic professional, one paraprofessional, one school staffer and one person from
