Chicago schools CEO testifies on Capitol Hill

The superintendent of Chicago's public schools answered sometimes-pointed questions about the district's policies dealing with gender identity and expression during a hearing on Capitol Hill.

Schools CEO Dr. Macquline King appeared along with administrators from San Francisco and the Washington, D.C.-area suburb of Loudoun County, Virginia at Wednesday's hearing of the House Education and Workforce Committee.

The committee's chairman, Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Michigan), said the hearing was an "important" forum to hear testimony on school policies he characterized as going against science: "These witnesses were invited to explain policies in their districts that sideline parents, compromise student privacy rights and fuel radical ideology."

During her opening statement, Dr. King told committee members that the city's students are making achievement gains, in part because of the district's approach to inclusion.

"Our classrooms are not homogeneous," she said. "They are vibrant communities where students learn along side peers whose lived experiences may differ from their own. Chicago's schools reflect the very best of our nation and our city."

She also acknowledged that she was there in response to a subpoena, after declining several invitations to appear voluntarily.

"I respect Congress' important role in oversight," she said. "I know we had to work through some complicated scheduling issues and some underlying privacy concerns related to the student and staff situations we may discuss today.:

Republicans including southern Illinois Rep. Mary Miller confronted Dr. King about details of the district's approach to transgender students, as well as its sex education module.

"When will CPS come into compliance with President Trump's order and stop teaching hyper-sexualized material?" asked Rep. Miller.

"CPS is in compliance with all local, state and binding federal law," Dr. King responded.

Democrats on the committee mostly used their time to criticize Republicans for focusing on what they called culture war issues. Connecticut Rep. Jahana Hayes addressed the witnesses: "You know what you do. You're good at what you do. Do not be intimidated by this committee."

During his questioning, Rep. Walberg asked Dr. King about a recent CPS settlement with Chicago's Moody Bible College, whose students had been blocked from student-teaching in the district over the Christian college's official stance on gender identity and expression. Dr. King told him that students from Moody would be able to serve as student teachers starting in the fall.

"Do you and the Chicago Public School system believe that teachers need to renounce their faith principles in order to teach in the school?" asked Rep. Walberg.

"I actually started my teaching career in a Christian school, and ... " Dr. King began.

"It ought to be an easy answer then. What's your answer?" Rep. Walberg interrupted. "Do Christian teachers need to renounce their faith in order to teach in Chicago public schools?"

After a pause, Dr. King responded: "No, they do not."