Letters: Pedro Martinez’s firing exemplifies the mayor’s lack of proper stewardship

The so-called “collaborator in chief” chooses to do the bidding of the Chicago Teachers Union instead of what’s best for Chicagoans and the future of our city. When the highly qualified Dr. Allison Arwady was targeted by the CTU, Mayor Brandon Johnson made sure she was gone.

Now Pedro Martinez, CEO of Chicago Public Schools, has been fired because of the whims and desires of the CTU. Both of these individuals were widely recognized as being professional, competent and effective in their leadership roles, but this did not matter to Johnson. Martinez was fired without cause by the mayor’s recently appointed Chicago Board of Education, whose sole purpose apparently was to dismiss the CEO before newly elected board members take office in January.



Martinez’s firing does nothing for our public schools and their students. Rather, it exemplifies the total lack of fiscal accountability and responsibility of the mayor and the CTU since Martinez will be paid for the next 180 days as he continues as a lame-duck CEO. He will also be receiving 20 weeks of severance pay.

Certainly, the cost of this misadventure is only starting. Also, who of any stature would want this key educational position after the way Martinez has been treated? Sean Harden has been proposed as a co-CEO by the mayor, another illustration of Johnson’s lack of concern and understanding of the educational needs of CPS and its students. Harden has never been a teacher or school administrator and has little qualification to be a co-CEO of CPS.

Clearly, a lucrative union contract is much more important to the mayor and the CTU than the educational well-being of the district’s students. — Richard A. Prinz, Chicago Saturday was the winter solstice — the day we experience the most darkness all year.

At Friday night’s special meeting of the Chicago Board of Education, we heard a variety of perspectives about who should make some big decisions and when they should be made. What we didn’t hear was any effort to base these decisions on what is best for the students Chicago Public Schools serves — about the why . The purpose of CPS — like every one of the more than 850 districts in the state of Illinois — is defined in the Illinois Constitution: “the educational development of all persons to the limits of their capacities” through a free and “efficient system of high-quality public educational institutions.

” The purpose of our public schools is clear: our students and their learning. There are many decisions that will have a significant impact on the outcomes for our students now and in the years to come — collective bargaining agreements, CEO selection and evaluation, budgets and more. At Friday night’s meeting, some said the current Board of Education should make these decisions, while others said they should be made by the hybrid appointed/elected board being seated in January.

Some said these decisions should be made urgently; others, with more deliberation. Some talked about power and politics. Others talked about adult issues such as staffing, compensation or rules.

But there were precious few moments during which any of the perspectives on any of these significant decisions were justified by whether they will deliver what our students need and deserve: the knowledge and abilities they need to have successful lives full of thriving and opportunity. This focus on adult interests and political posturing — rather than on the purpose of the district and our students’ outcomes — is a failure of leadership. More than that, it is a tragedy for the students we serve and the city we call home.

This board, and all future boards, must focus on student outcomes to make important decisions wisely and govern the district effectively. This winter solstice is the moment of the most darkness. But it’s also the moment when we turn the corner to a little more light each day to come.

Here’s hoping that just as we can look forward to more light, we can also look forward to more effective governance, intentional and strategic choices, collaboration, and focus on those for whom our school district exists: the students of Chicago. — Sendhil Revuluri, former vice president, Chicago Board of Education, Chicago As a retired Chicago Public Schools teacher, I ask the Board of Education to consider the principals and teachers who have spoken in support of the credible job CPS CEO Pedro Martinez has done. They are in the trenches and know the issues.

A report from a University of Chicago group states that CPS is graduating students and sending them to college on a par with other large cities in spite of having a large percentage of low-income students. This didn’t happen before Martinez took over as leader. I was a CTU member, but it makes no economic common sense to change horses now.

— Henrietta Thies Lowery, Chicago I find it quite unusual to praise the Tribune Editorial Board’s position on most anything, but yes, yes, yes to its critique of the Chicago Board of Education ( “After Brandon Johnson’s shameful Friday school board travesty, Gov. JB Pritzker has to get involved,” Dec. 23).

I am a strong union supporter, but unions are not always right. Clearly, the Chicago Teachers Union is wrong, misguided and irresponsible. Thank you for the strong editorial.

Thanks to Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez for his solid leadership. Let’s support what the children need. — Elizabeth Hawthorne, Chicago Thank you to the Tribune Editorial Board for pressing this mayor and this city to see truth.

Whether the bungled and pathetic budget process or the bullying of Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez while being in cahoots with the Chicago Teachers Union, Mayor Brandon Johnson deserves every ounce of ink sounding the alarm. I am a Chicago citizen and taxpayer for 37 years, a former teacher and proud union member, and a Democrat who has served as a poll worker for more than four election cycles. Enough is enough.

Johnson serves us, not the CTU. Listen to Martinez and support him; don’t oust him. Support CPS students, their parents and all of us in this city who want better and who want a representative democracy that works.

— Mary Friedlieb, Chicago Sadly, many aldermen caved and voted to accept Mayor Brandon Johnson’s budget proposal. Unfortunately, meaningful cuts need to be made, and they were absent. Chicago must learn to live within a budget without borrowing against the future.

To allow the Chicago Teachers Union and Johnson to succeed in firing Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez is unconscionable. The union needs to focus on teaching. CPS test scores are appalling and indicate that teaching is not the focus or the priority.

Enough is enough. — Donna Kasprowicz, Chicago I spotted a provably false claim in the editorial “Downtown Chicago paid too high a price for slowpoke, ill-conceived Kennedy Expressway construction” (Dec. 18).

It’s simply not the case that “many of the former alternate routes, such as Elston and Milwaukee avenues, have reduced their vehicular capacity by adding bike lanes.” Instead, the car lanes remain the same, and the bike lanes — bikes are vehicles! — are now inviting more bike traffic than before. Please consider updating the editorial to remove the error.

— Amber Wilson, Chicago The recent editorial regarding bike lanes was factually inaccurate. Adding protected bike lanes to portions of Milwaukee and Elston avenues did not result in a reduction of car lanes. Could the Tribune Editorial Board please issue a follow-up and correct this assertion? — Anthony Nicholson, Chicago Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.

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