CHICAGO — Mayor Brandon Johnson asked CPS CEO Pedro Martinez to hand in his resignation this week, according to a report.
The Chicago Sun-Times said Mayor Johnson asked Martinez to step down from his position on Thursday, adding that the CEO did not immediately resign and is waiting to hear from the Board of Education.
The news follows weeks of speculation regarding Martinez’s future with the district amid ongoing contract negotiations between the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU).
WGN-TV reached out to the mayor’s office, which declined to provide specific details about the request.
“We do not comment publicly on personnel matters. What we can say is that Mayor Johnson has a clear vision for public education that includes fully funded schools, access to the arts, athletics, and special education resources,” a spokesperson for the mayor’s office said in a statement on Friday.
Ahead of Labor Day, the district offered the CTU a package that included annual raises between four and five percent and expanded health and dental coverage, but the CTU was not moved by the proposal.
The CTU later posted on its website, “The pressure our union is putting on CEO Pedro Martinez is working…but these are just opening counterproposals—and more than 50% of our proposals have yet to receive any response.”
In mid-August, reports emerged that Johnson’s administration was laying the groundwork to oust Martinez.
Following the reports, hundreds of CPS administrators sent a letter to the school board urging members to keep Martinez.
During an interview with WGN’s Tahman Bradley on Aug. 16, Johnson refused to discuss whether he was trying to fire Martinez, adding that discussion of someone’s personnel issues was “tacky.”
“Well look, you know I don’t discuss personnel issues, you know that. Discussing details around someone’s personal contact, that is quite frankly, no disrespect, that would be tacky,” Johnson said. “I don’t do tacky. We’re Chicago, we’re better than that.”
CTU president Stacy Davis Gates, who worked with Johnson while he was with the union, has been critical of Martinez, calling him an “impediment” to the contract negotiations.
Martinez had been tapped by former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to head the schools in 2021 as the mayor sought a clean slate following the 2019 Chicago Teachers Union strike.
Martinez acknowledged the recent report in a statement on Friday, writing:
I hope that everyone has been enjoying the first four weeks of school and is settling into the routine of the new year.
I want to reach out to you in light of recent news articles about the future of our District’s leadership. You should know that me and my leadership team are 100 percent focused on building on the positive momentum of the new school year and implementing the District’s new five-year strategic plan that was developed in partnership with our communities and approved unanimously Wednesday by the Board of Education.
We’re honored and excited to continue working together with our school leaders, educators, and parents to put the needs of our students first and build on our nationally-recognized post-pandemic academic growth of the past two school years. Our top priority has always been investing in our schools and students while ensuring long-term stability for the system. That means being true to our new school funding model which will promote more equity, and being consistent in our pledge not to close or consolidate any schools. There are also no plans to co-locate schools except for the Velma Thomas Early Childhood Center due to a lease expiration.
Our students have clearly benefited from the increased stability in our school system. We are confident that our work to date has set the foundation for more success and will increase access to opportunities for all students. We will continue to lead with integrity and transparency in service of our students.
Pedro Martinez, Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Public Schools
A spokesperson for CPS also offered a statement on Friday following the news.
CEO Martinez and Chicago Public Schools leadership are focused on building on the positive momentum of the new school year and implementing the District’s new five-year strategic plan that was developed in partnership with our communities and approved unanimously Wednesday by the Board of Education.
We’re honored and excited to continue working together with our school leaders, educators, and parents to put the needs of our students first and build on our nationally-recognized post-pandemic academic growth of the past two school years. Our top priority has always been investing in our schools and students while ensuring long-term stability for the system. That means being true to our new school funding model which will promote more equity, and being consistent in our pledge not to close or consolidate any schools. There are also no plans to co-locate schools except for the Velma Thomas Early Childhood Center due to a lease expiration.
Our students have clearly benefited from the increased stability in our school system. We are confident that our work to date has set the foundation for more success and will increase access to opportunities for all students. We will continue to lead with integrity and transparency in service of our students.
Sylvia Barragan, Senior Press Secretary for Chicago Public Schools
WGN-TV has reached out to the Board of Education for comment but has not yet heard back.
Both Johnson and Martinez were expected to attend the Chicago Latino Caucus Foundation Gala Friday evening in Bridgeport, but neither of them showed up.
The Illinois Latino Agenda issued the following statement amid ongoing reports of Johnson asking Martinez to resign:
Latino leaders are deeply concerned by the ongoing speculation and political distractions surrounding the future of CPS CEO Pedro Martinez, who has been a stabilizing force for CPS. Just this week, under his leadership, the Chicago Board of Education unanimously approved the passage of a five-year strategic plan aimed at improving the quality of education for all students and getting more kids into our neighborhood schools.
Now, more than ever, the focus must remain on students, their educational achievements and the continued success of CPS. Under Martinez’s leadership, students’ reading scores have increased, and more high school students are graduating with college credits, providing them with a head start toward higher education.
Mr. Martinez’s leadership has delivered measurable results. Ultimately the CPS board is officially responsible for any decision to remove a leader who has demonstrated a commitment to improving educational outcomes for all CPS students.
Illinois Latino Agenda