Chicago school board race for 4th District heats up between candidates Karen Zaccor, Ellen Rosenfeld

CHICAGO (WLS) -- There is a hot race shaping up for the 4th District Chicago school board seat between two candidates who are getting endorsements and financial support.

Retired Chicago Public Schools teacher, former Local School Councils member and CPS parent Karen Zaccor fought for an elected school board for over a decade; now she wants to serve on it.

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"I'm a person who has walked the walk, this is a volunteer job, So I think I'll be ready on day one," she said.

Ellen Rosenfeld said she has also walked the walk.

"I'm running because I have a lifelong passion for Chicago Public Schools. I've spent my entire life in CPS as a teacher, a parent of four kids, a local school council chairperson," she said.

The 4th District represents several North Side neighborhoods including Lincoln Park, Lakeview and Uptown. Rosenfeld and Zaccor are considered the top two candidates based on endorsements and money raised.

Zaccor is backed by the Chicago Teachers Union.

"CTU chose to endorse me because we have the same point of view on a lot of things. So, both want, you know, social worker, nurse, counselor, librarian in every school," she said.

Rosenfeld is self-funded and has also received money from some North Side politicians and some large individual contributions. She said part of campaigning for a volunteer job is defending attacks against her.

A political action committee supported by CTU has sent voters flyers connecting Rosenfeld, a lifelong Democrat, to Donald Trump and out of state billionaires who support Project 2025.

"I think there isn't a desperate attempt by Mayor Johnson and by the Chicago Teachers Union to win every single seat on this board so they can continue to push forward an agenda for one party," Rosenfeld said.

But Zaccor said pro-charter school PACs funded by out-of-state billionaires have included Rosenfeld on their slate of candidates.

"Perhaps it's a stretch," Zaccor said. "But there are dots you can connect."

Rosenfeld said while she supports school choice, there are no dots directly connecting her to the PACs or Trump.

Besides Rosenfeld and Zaccor, there are four other candidates running: Kimberly Brown, Thomas Day, Carmen Gioiosa and Andrew Davis. Gioiosa has raised very little money and prides herself on being an independent.

"I am not affiliated with any politician, I'm not affiliated with the mayor, the union or any special interest," she said.

Chicago voters will choose the city's first ever elected school board on November 5. They will elect 10 members from 10 districts throughout the city. Mayor Johnson picks 11 members, including the school board president.