Newly appointed Chicago Board of Education president resigns over controversial social media posts

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A week after he was sworn into the office, the Chicago school board president resigned Thursday over controversial social media posts.

The now-former Chicago Board of Education President Rev. Mitchell Johnson apologized for the posts Wednesday, but more troubling information surfaced Thursday, leading to additional calls for him to step down.

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Conspiracy theories involving 9/11 and anti-women posts were enough for Mayor Brandon Johnson to ask for Rev. Johnson's resignation. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and close to 40 alderpersons also demanded Rev. Johnson's resignation, with many asking why the mayor appointed him to begin with.

Chicago councilmembers demanded to know how Rev. Johnson was vetted to become Mayor Johnson's pick to be Chicago's school board president.

"I always want to ask. Sure, the vetting process it's important to all of us," 25th Ward Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez said.

"I think a normal person would think, the average person would think, that a simple social media search would have turned this up and would have automatically disqualified him," 11th Ward Ald. Nicole Lee said.

"How were they vetted and do we need to take a deeper dive into their background and make sure they're qualified to be in charge of children?" said 50th Ward Ald. Debra Silverstein, the only Jewish member of the Chicago City Council.

Rev. Johnson openly admitted on a radio show posted to his Facebook page that he is a regular social media user. Several of his posts included anti-Israel sentiments and conspiracy theories surrounding 9/11, both subjects he spoke about on the radio show.

"I believe the Israeli government is engaged in genocide," Rev. Johnson can be heard saying on the show.

"The way those towers were built they could have withstood an airplane, smacked into the side of them," he also said.

In addition, an anti-women post was discovered.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson released the following statement Thursday:

"Today, I asked Chicago School Board of Education (BOE) President Reverend Mitchell Johnson for his resignation, and he resigned, effective immediately. Reverend Mitchell Johnson's statements were not only hurtful but deeply disturbing. I want to be clear: antisemitic, misogynistic, and conspiratorial statements are unacceptable. My administration is committed to upholding the mission of transforming our public education system. It has become clear that his continued participation in the BOE would hinder the important work we need to accomplish for our schools. We will proceed promptly to identify a qualified individual who shares our dedication to educational excellence and will serve with an unwavering commitment to the values we hold dear. I remain steadfast in my commitment to collaborate with all stakeholders to ensure that every child in Chicago has access to the quality education they deserve. Protecting and empowering the students in Chicago Public Schools remains our North Star. The Board of Education meeting on Friday will proceed as planned under the current BOE bylaws."

Rev. Johnson's questionable background didn't surface overnight. One day after he took the oath to be Chicago's school board president last week, the mayor stood with him as questions were raised about why Rev. Johnson was permanently disbarred from the Ohio Bar. Prior to this, 41 alders asked the new board to appear before council, but they refused.

"I certainly think that had we had the opportunity to have them before us, we could have asked some of these questions before they were installed as full-on board members," Ald. Lee said.

As more of Rev. Johnson's opinions on women and Jewish people surfaced, more city leaders and parents are reacting Thursday night wondered why Johnson gave him the job in the first place.

"I would definitely be concerned for the safety of my children and for the safety of all Jewish children in the system," said Yehudis Goldfarb, a Jewish mother of Chicago Public Schools students.

Jewish mothers of Chicago public school students are relieved Rev. Johnson is no longer at the helm of the Chicago Board of Education.

"My children are visibly orthodox in Chicago Public Schools, and I have to tell you when I heard our mayor would appoint somebody to such a position, I had a visceral response," Estie Spero, a Jewish mother of Chicago Public Schools students.

Late Thursday afternoon, Mayor Johnson confirmed his sudden about face on his hand-picked school president at a Chicago Police Department press conference announcing hate crime charges in a recent shooting of a Jewish man on the North Side.

"Reverend Johnson, I had a conversation with him, asked him to resign, and he did," Mayor Johnson said.

Rev. Johnson issued a lengthy apology Wednesday night to the Jewish community.

Some city leaders, including the city's only Jewish alderperson Debra Silverstein of the 50th ward, are questioning Mayor Johnson's vetting process for his newly appointed school board.

"How were they vetted and do we need to take a deeper dive into their background and make sure they're qualified to be in charge of children?" Ald. Silverstein said.

So far, the new school board members have refused city council's request to appear in chambers and answer questions.

The board will meet Friday for its regularly scheduled meeting

Gov. Pritzker released the following statement earlier in the day Thursday:

"Any person charged with the stewardship of the Chicago Public School Board must exemplify focused, inclusive, and steady leadership. The views expressed in the current Chair's posts - antisemitism, misogyny, fringe conspiracy theories - very clearly do not meet that standard. We owe it to our students, families, and teachers to provide the highest quality education, and that begins at the top by setting a positive example of kindness and inclusivity. Given that he has failed to live up to these values, I believe it is in the best interest of our schools and our children for the Chair to resign."

Rev. Johnson's resignation comes after the entire previous Board of Education resigned amid Mayor Johnson's reported wish to oust Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez.

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