Chicago School Board District 9 results

Candidates running for Chicago School Board District 9 have distinct disagreements about how severely under-utilized schools should be handled, as well as whether charter schools should be an option for students.

There are four candidates: Therese Boyle, a retired school psychologist; La’Mont Raymond Williams, a lawyer who works for Cook County Commissioner Bill Lowry; Miquel Lewis, acting director of Cook County’s Juvenile Probation Court Services; and Lanetta M. Thomas, a U.S. Army veteran, who works with several progressive activist organizations.

District 9 includes Beverly and Mount Greenwood on the south and New City and Canaryville on the north. It has almost 100 schools, one-fifth run by private charter school operators and dozens of low-enrollment elementary schools.

The Illinois Network of Charter Schools and Urban Center Action — two pro-charter, anti-Chicago Teachers Union groups — have spent big in District 9. INCs spent $368,000 — more than in any other district — supporting Lewis. He serves as chairman of Noble Schools, one of the largest charter school networks in the city.

But the Chicago Teachers Union and its related PACs spent the least in District 9 compared to other districts. They endorsed Thomas, who received only about $16,000 in donations. But in addition to that, several flyers went out, some with negative messages, in support of Thomas. Thomas has disavowed the mailers, saying she does not “support or approve” them.

On the WBEZ/Sun-Times/Chalkbeat questionnaire, Boyle said she does not support charter schools, but she would close under-utilized schools and bring police officers back into schools. Williams and Thomas say they support charter schools in CPS. They also wouldn’t want to close any schools and they don’t want police in schools.

Lewis did not offer a yes or no answer on questions on charter schools, closing schools and police officers in schools. In his explanations, he offered some nuance. For example, in terms of charter schools he said: “What do the parents and students need/want? Parents and students deserve the right to inform this question.”