By Townhall Chicago News Staff
Chicago voters will elect a school board president and board members for the first time this November, following a transition from a fully appointed board to one chosen directly by voters.
Amy Jacobson, co-host of an AM 560 radio broadcast, endorsed Victor Henderson for school board president during the program, citing his independence from the Chicago Teachers Union and the Service Employees International Union.
“For school board president, I am going to vote for Victor Henderson,” Jacobson said. “He is not backed by the CTU or SEIU, and he’s a complete outsider who knows business. He runs a business. He’s an attorney. Father forced all his kids to attend CPS.” Jacobson’s endorsement reflects her own opinion rather than a reporting conclusion.
A caller identified as Christine, from Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood, asked co-hosts how to navigate ballot rules for the school board race. Jeannie Ives, the program’s other co-host and a former Illinois state representative, said voters who do not want to select a political party on their ballot can request a version limited to nonpartisan referendum questions.
The school board president and member races appear on the same November ballot as other local races but are separate from Chicago’s mayoral election, which takes place in February. The direct election marks a shift for a district that for decades operated under a board appointed by the mayor.
Jacobson also discussed her preference in other board district races during the broadcast, though she described her support there as less certain than her endorsement of Henderson.
Voter information on the school board candidates and ballot procedures is available through the Chicago Board of Elections.
