Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Chicago REALLY Wants An Elected School Board, Ballot Results Show

By  Jen Sabella and Ted Cox | February 24, 2015 10:33pm 

 More than 400 from the Chicago Teachers Union and other groups came out for a rally at Operation PUSH on Martin Luther King Jr. Day calling for an elected school board.
More than 400 from the Chicago Teachers Union and other groups came out for a rally at Operation PUSH on Martin Luther King Jr. Day calling for an elected school board.
View Full Caption
DNAinfo/Sam Cholke

CHICAGO — Chicago voters overwhelmingly voted in favor of an elected school board Tuesday — even after what some described as "political shenanigans" kept the question off the ballot in parts of the city.

In nearly every ward that had the opportunity to vote on the topic, nearly 90 percent of voters said they were in favor of an elected school board. Vote breakdowns are below.

Currently, the school board is appointed by the mayor.

“I’m tired of going to school board meetings where people who don’t have skin in the game are making decisions,” said Jitu Brown of the Kenwood Oakland Community Organization, at a rally for an elected school board last month.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who is heading to a runoff with Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, has dismissed the notion of an elected school board, saying, "I don't believe what we need right now is more politics in schools."

Garcia, however, believes an "elected school board is a constitutional right."

Ald. John Arena (45th) had pushed for a citywide referendum on an elected school board, but in October the council's Rules Committee approved three other questions to fill up the ballot: a proposal by 49th Ward Ald. Joe Moore on mandatory paid sick leave, another on public campaign financing backed by the grassroots group Common Cause and another on whether city employees should be forced to seek counseling if convicted of domestic abuse, sponsored by Ald. Deborah Graham (29th).

Ald. Bob Fioretti (2nd) charged that the move was illegal, but those referenda held their spots.

A collection of grassroots groups filed 50,000 signatures to place an advisory referendum on the ballot for an elected school board in 37 of the city's 50 wards. The Chicago Teachers Union joined in the effort.

Here is how 37 Chicago wards voted on the elected school board question:

1st Ward
Yes: 86.55%
No: 13.45%

3rd Ward
Yes: 87.83%
No: 12.17%

4th Ward
Yes: 87.05 %
No: 12.95 %

5th Ward
Yes: 86.69 %
No: 13.31%

6th Ward
Yes: 92.71%
No: 7.29%

7th Ward
Yes: 92.68%
No: 7.32%

8th Ward
Yes: 91.97%
No: 8.03%

10th Ward
Yes: 91.20 %
No: 8.80%

12th Ward
Yes: 89.89 %
No: 10.11%

14th Ward
Yes: 89.09 %
No: 10.91%

15th Ward
Yes: 90.50%
No: 9.50%

16th Ward
Yes: 92.04%
No: 7.96%

17th Ward
Yes: 92.07%
No: 7.93%

19th Ward
Yes: 85.45%
No: 14.55%

20th Ward
Yes: 92.51%
No: 7.49%

21st Ward
Yes: 92.35%
No: 7.65%

22nd Ward
Yes: 91.75 %
No:  8.25%

24th Ward
Yes: 93.26%
No: 6.74%

25th Ward
Yes: 88.30 %
No: 11.70%

26th Ward
Yes: 91.16%
No: 8.84%

27th Ward
Yes: 88.62 %
No: 11.38%

28th Ward
Yes: 90.57%
No: 9.43%

29th Ward
Yes: 91.18%
No: 8.82%

30th Ward
Yes: 87.63%
No: 12.37%

31st Ward
Yes: 90.27%
No: 9.73%

32nd Ward
Yes: 82.96%
No: 17.04%

33rd Ward
Yes: 89.79%
No: 10.21%

34th Ward
Yes: 92.24 %
No: 7.76%

35th Ward
Yes: 90.67%
No: 9.33%

36th Ward
Yes: 88.74%
No: 11.26%

37th Ward
Yes: 92.44%
No: 7.56%

40th Ward
Yes: 86.94%
No : 13.06%

45th Ward
Yes: 85.18%
No: 14.82%

46th Ward
Yes: 83.21 %
No: 16.79%

47th Ward
Yes:  84.04%
No: 15.96%

49th Ward
Yes: 87.03%
No: 12.97%

50th Ward
Yes: 83.87%
No: 16.13%

 

For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here: