Recap: Chicago Black Voter Project Forum with School Board Candidates in 6B and 10A

About 75 people attended Monday night's forum with the candidates for school board in South Side districts 6B and 10A. Brittany Kimble and Michael Neal are running in 6B; Che "Rhymefest" Smith and Tameka Walton are running in 10A.

Here's where they stood on the questions asked.

The first 100 days. In 6B, Kimble is focused on how to ensure the $150 million budgeted but not guaranteed actually arrives, to avoid mid-year cuts. Her opponent, Neal, said, "My first 100 days will look like my previous 100 days," by continuing his work in literacy and building bridges between communities and schools.

Smith, the incumbent in 10A, said he has three priorities for his next term: governance, bringing students into decision-making, and building coalitions with other school districts across the state to push for increased state funds for schools. Walton, the write-in challenger, said she would examine how funds are currently spent, ensure the Black Student Success Plan is being implemented, and push for increased student access to social workers.

Governance. Candidates were asked to identify a decision the current board made, good or bad, and explain what the board did right or wrong. Neal pointed to the decision to approve a budget that assumed an additional $150 million in state funds as wrong. Smith pointed to the resolution requiring the CPS district leader to have a superintendent's license and to the hiring of Superintendent/CEO Macquline King as good decisions. Walton pointed to the Healthy Green Schools pilot as a good decision and argued that passing a budget that pressures the state to give CPS more money was also a good move, saying, "If Springfield owes Chicago schools money, why not hold them accountable for it?" Kimble agreed that the decision to hire Dr. King to lead the district was a good one.

Improving educational outcomes. Smith said the district needs to focus on Black boys and move forward with the Black Student Success Plan. Walton agreed, adding that teachers, SECAs, and paraprofessionals need to be supported, including ensuring teachers have access to quality curricula. Kimble stressed the importance of meeting each school where it is, and understanding its unique problems and circumstances. Neal proposed building "a robust volunteer program" to support literacy across the district.

What makes a good school? All four candidates have had children attend CPS schools. Smith said his thoughts on what makes a good school have evolved from just looking at ratings and availability of sports and extracurriculars to thinking more deeply about school culture and fit, including whether a school could support his son's gifts and meet his needs as described in his IEP. In making decisions about school for her children, Walton asked, "Will those administrators send their children to this school?" Similarly, Kimble said she looks for schools where administrators interact positively with children, not as if the children "are bothering them." Neal said he thinks a good school cares for children, coaches them, and builds their academic skills.

Enrollment decline. The question asked candidates if they would extend the moratorium on school closures. If so, how would they ensure an equitable experience for students in underenrolled schools? If not, how would they decide when to close a school, and how to ensure any future school closings don't lead to increased violence and decreased property values in the community where a school is closed?

Walton supports extending the moratorium and opposes school closures. To ensure equity across schools, she said, "We have to look at what Kenwood is doing compared to what Phillips is doing, right? We have to talk to those principals; we have to talk to those parents."

Kimble said existing schools need to work together to provide all students with quality academics, like Advanced Placement courses, and extracurriculars. She noted that schools already work together to provide sports like swimming--Jones and Payton have combined swim teams. She does not support closing schools without a plan, which has been how CPS has operated in the past.

Neal said he would support extending the moratorium, "only because CPS has done a horrible job of taking care of their previous portfolio" of closed schools, and he doesn't want to add more buildings to it. He pointed to Woodlawn Elementary as an example of an elementary school with less than 200 students that is offering an excellent experience. "We don't want to have a cookie-cutter measure or a generic number" as the basis to decide on school closures, he said.

Smith said he would not extend the moratorium on school closures. "Our children are not having great experiences in all buildings," he said. "Some of these buildings are not healthy enough for our students to stay in, and we don't have the money" to repair them. But no decisions on closures should happen without community input, and he agreed that Woodlawn is a "small and mighty" school with strong community support that offers an "equitable experience."

Improving CPS finances.

Kimble: "You have to spend less than you have. You have to budget with the money you know you will have, and you have to spend less than that."

Neal: "We have to be aggressive in getting what's owed to us, but also being wise" with current resources.

Smith: "The same people who sabotaged this budget are the same people two years ago who wanted us to vote on a high-interest loan. ... Just to be 100 with you, we didn't have to be here." To obtain new revenue, he supports going to the state in coalition with other school districts and developing public-private partnerships.

Walton: "We have a lot of contracts and vendors. ... Where is that money going? Are they really doing the work they're supposed to be doing? ... Then, secondly, we have to hold Springfield accountable."

Partnering with communities. The question asked how candidates would work with Community Action Councils, what other organizations they are "personally accountable to," and how they would keep those partnerships consistent.

Neal noted he is a founding member and current vice-chair of the Greater Bronzeville CAC and will stay engaged with them. Smith committed to visiting every Local School Council in District 10A and helping them connect with their relevant CAC. Kimble pledged to create a student advisory panel.

Walton noted she was an intern with the CPS Office of Family and Community Engagement when CACs were created, and is a current LSC member. "Parents in the schools are an afterthought," she said. "I would make sure that parents are actually able to set the table, that they know where that table is, that they know how to reach their board member more than just a website." She is a member of Robin Kelly's Girls & Women Task Force and Girls Opportunity Alliance.

Lightning Round. All candidates said yes to requiring a comprehensive civic education curriculum in CPS. They also all agreed CPS should implement high-quality, evidence-based literacy instruction, including the science of reading, ongoing professional development, literacy specialists, and targeted support for English learners, students with dyslexia, and other struggling readers. All candidates supported alternative schools and maintaining and strengthening civil rights protections for students under fire from the Trump administration. Other issues all candidates supported: financial literacy for middle schoolers, ensuring CPS students can register to vote, requiring student transition plans when charter schools close, expanding special education services, fully implementing the Black Student Success Plan, and creating a "culturally competent, working-class conscious, district-level plan to improve student attendance." All candidates also agreed to meet regularly with the Chicago Black Voter Project if elected.

Candidates disagreed on the millionaires tax (Kimball & Neal said no; Smith and Walton said yes), expanding Sustainable Community Schools (Smith said no; others said yes), restorative justice (Smith abstained; others said yes), and a moratorium on generative AI (Smith abstained; others said yes).

New Poll: School Board Election Awareness Up

On Monday, the Chicago Public Education Fund announced results of a new poll showing that more than three-quarters of respondents know the entire school board will be up for election. That's up from 59% of respondents in May.

But less than half of voters could name one candidate for school board president or for the board seat in their district. The online survey was conducted in English and Spanish between October 5 and 14.

“The voters we surveyed are paying attention. Since May, awareness of this election has grown by 18 points. Now the work is making sure every voter knows who is running in their district. The leaders they elect will shape the schools that serve more than 300,000 students,” Heather Y. Anichini, president and CEO of The Fund, said in a press release.

Seen

To celebrate Principal Appreciation Month, the Fund held its annual Principal Storytelling event on October 15 at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry. Principals Stacy Gray (McDade Classical in Chatham), Angelica Altamirano (Hubbard High School in West Lawn), and Edward Collins (Burbank Elementary in Belmont-Cragin) shared stories.

Events: Go Vote!

If you haven't voted yet, make your plan and go vote. Early voting is available at the downtown SuperSite, 137 S. State, the Chicago Board of Elections offices at 69 W. Washington St., sixth floor, and locations in all 50 wards. Same-day registration is available at all locations. On Election Day, Tuesday November 3, the downtown SuperSite and ward locations will be open for voting from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., as well as polling places around the city. You can look up your polling place here.