Mayor Johnson's CPS Job: Not a Conflict?

Chicago's ethics board recently stated they didn't advise Mayor Brandon Johnson on whether he should quit his job at Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to avoid a potential conflict of interest. The board said they haven't provided any opinions, written or oral, about city officials taking leaves from CPS. This comes after a high-ranking CPS staffer, Ben Felton, called for the mayor to resign from his CPS job after his election win in 2023. Felton was worried about a conflict of interest because the mayor was overseeing CPS while still employed there. Jennifer Johnson, the mayor's former education chief, said the city's ethics advisor wasn't concerned about him staying on leave. But the ethics board clarified that neither they nor their staff were consulted. This raises questions about the timeline of events shared by CPS earlier.

When Mayor Johnson was inaugurated in May 2023, he was still on a leave of absence from CPS. This prompted Felton to suggest that Jennifer Johnson speak with the city's ethics advisor in early June. Felton was concerned about the mayor and deputy mayor being able to guarantee future jobs at CPS if they decided to return. The mayor's press secretary, Erin Connelly, later said the mayor ended his employment and union membership with the teachers union in April 2023. She also mentioned that the mayor's leave status at CPS is similar to that of other public officials who have served in public service areas like police, fire, and CPS. Currently, CPS is negotiating a new contract with its powerful teachers union. The mayor started his career as a social studies teacher and has nearly two decades of experience that would count toward his salary and pension if he returned to teaching. However, he has said he doesn't have a teaching job waiting for him at CPS.

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