The Chicago Teachers Union House of Delegates issued a no-confidence vote Wednesday, calling for Chicago Public Schools CEO Forrest Claypool to resign.
In a scathing resolution, CTU officials claimed Claypool and the Chicago Board of Education have worked “to dismantle and sabotage” city schools through privatization, program cuts and layoffs, “while frivolously lining the pockets of wealthy investors.”
Mayor Rahm Emanuel said in a statement that he has “complete confidence” in Claypool.
“Since taking over this difficult role Forrest has done an incredible job building on the academic progress of our students, even as the governor refuses to support Chicago’s students at the same level he supports their counterparts in wealthy suburbs,” Emanuel said. “Instead of throwing stones at each other, everyone who cares about Chicago’s schools and Chicago’s students should be focused on coming together to fight for fair funding in Springfield.”
The no-confidence vote comes about three weeks after CPS announced it would make all staffers take four unpaid furlough days this spring to help fill a $215 million budget hole.
In a separate resolution passed Wednesday, the union called the new furloughs, which are scheduled for professional development days when students aren’t in attendance, “the latest demonstration of [the school board’s] preference to cut from educators, students, and schools rather than advocate for the funding our school district needs.”
They say the policy is aimed “to protect the interests of politicians and the wealthy,” violates the contract they agreed to in November and will delay the time it takes teachers to enter students’ grades.
