CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - In a special meeting Friday night, the Chicago Board of Education unanimously voted to fire Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez.
After nearly a two hour closed session, the board voted 6-0 to fire him without cause.
The ouster stems from the acrimonious relationship that developed among Martinez, Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) during tense contract negotiations.
As part of his amended contract, signed off by the Board of Ed in 2022, there must be six months’ notice of termination without cause. After that transition period, Martinez will be paid 20 weeks severance.
His contract was set to expire on June 30, 2026.
The board could have only fired Martinez for cause if they could have proven misconduct, criminal activity, job failure, fraud or wrongdoing.
Late Friday afternoon, Martinez's lawyers filed a lawsuit in the Cook County Circuit, seeking an injunction to prevent the board from dismissing him. The Board of Ed and each individual member were named in the suit.
Following the meeting, Martinez said he accepts the board's decision but will make sure that his contract is honored.
"All I've ever asked, let me do my work, follow my contract...That's what's still going to happen. My contract is really clear. There are state laws, there are board policies, but more importantly, my contract is very clear," Martinez said.
He expressed frustration with how the board has handled the process.
"They are a valid board. They have the power. They have the authority. I have never questioned that. What my issue is is when they don't do it the right way," the schools chief added.
Martinez said he will remain CEO for the rest of the school year.
The board did not provide any comment after announcing their vote.
During the meeting's public comment portion, Englewood alderman William Hall, a supporter of Mayor Johnson said Martinez had not done enough to make sure schools in his neighborhood measure up to schools in other parts of the city.
“I implore you all to stand on your fate and your courage, to make sure that when we look at Englewood STEM, that’s the only case study you need. That we don’t continue to repeat the cycle that has failed Black kids and lead them only to prison cells instead of jobs that we say that we’re going to give them," Hall said.
The decision appeared to be months in the making. In late September, Mayor Brandon Johnson reportedly asked Martinez to resign as friction began to mount during the CTU negotiations.
In a Chicago Tribune op-ed, Martinez said the mayor asked him to step down after he refused to engage in short-term borrowing to help pay for the new contract. The mayor has repeatedly denied the claim.
Per state law, only the Board of Ed has the power to oust the CPS CEO, and in an act of defiance, the entire board resigned in October.
Consequently, the mayor appointed a whole new slate of board members in the last several months. They are believed to be aligned with the mayor's desires.
Earlier this month, multiple reports alleged Martinez had rejected a buyout offer from the board.
WBBM's Craig Dellimore, Nancy Harty and Geoff Buccholz contributed to this report.
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