As the Far Northwest Side District 1 Chicago School Board race comes to a close, stay-at-home mom and former educator Jennifer Custer appears to have taken a slight lead over Michelle N. Pierre. With almost all precincts reporting, Custer, a former assistant principal and union leader supported by the Chicago Teachers Union, holds the edge in a closely watched contest. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, her campaign emphasized an investment in both neighborhood schools and charter schools, though Custer has expressed opposition to charter school expansion.
Despite the tight race, Custer and Pierre presented voters with platforms not far from one another, with both supporting the presence of sworn Chicago Police officers in schools and both taking a stand against the school board’s move away from the school choice system. In the critical issue of budget management, they stood together to oppose short-term borrowing to cover operating costs for Chicago Public Schools (CPS). Nonetheless, a clear divergence was the question of whether to consistently raise the property tax levy to the maximum allowed—a measure Custer supported, while Pierre did not, as reported by Chalkbeat.
Chicago’s first school board election proved to be a historic event, drawing an array of candidates across the ideological spectrum. Unofficial results show a board leaning towards a mix of CTU-backed candidates, pro-school choice voices, and independents. The new board composition is expected to grapple with complex fiscal challenges and decisions on the district’s direction. In total, the board will likely consist of a majority allied with Mayor Brandon Johnson and the CTU, focusing on avoiding school closures and enhancing neighborhood schools, as further outlined in the Chalkbeat coverage.
The Chicago Teachers Union and its president, Stacy Davis Gates, reveled in the electoral outcomes. Addressing a crowd, Gates declared, “Whose Schools? Our schools!” and called the election an expansion of democracy. Gates sharply criticized the influence of outside money in support of pro-school choice candidates. Meanwhile, Chicago Democrats For Education marked victories in several districts, signaling a contest of agendas within the board’s dynamics. “These candidates had to fight through desperate lies and misinformation spread about them. This is a clear signal against CTU’s agenda,” said Hugo Jacobo, the organization’s executive director, according to Chalkbeat. The race, marked by hefty spending and poignant debate, all points to a board facing a crucial balancing act in representing a diverse array of voices and interests for the future of Chicago’s schools.
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