Elected School Board for Chicago

In 327 precincts, there will be an advisory referendum on whether Chicago should have an elected school board, which it has never had. Virtually every other Illinois school district has an elected board. Raise Your Hand for Illinois Public Education -- a parent group made up of Chicago parents, with a board of Chicago parents and funded by Chicago parents -- has a summary of the issues. The referendum question is:

"Shall each member of the Board of School District 299, known as the Chicago Board of Education, be elected by voters of the City of Chicago, State of Illinois?"

You can read the precincts it is in here (search for "School Board" or scroll to the bottom).

This is an advisory referendum; it is polling the views of Chicago voters. The state law creating the current version of the mayoral appointed board was passed in 1995.

Well, the advisory referendum rocked. It was in over 300 precincts thanks to redistricting, and received 86% approval. Higher than any other ballot question. Clearly the voters of Chicago want an elected school board.

It seems almost unbelievable that something would have 86% support in an election.

Americans like democracy. Many Chicagoans are surprised to discover that the school board is unelected.