(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — A judge granted a temporary restraining order mandating that school board members will not be allowed to participate in negotiations with the Chicago Teachers union unless the CEO says they can.
Lawyers for Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez were in court on Tuesday as Martinez fights his recent firing by the CPS School Board.
The ruling comes after school board members attended negotiation talks for the first time in more than a decade.
“We had good discussions today. It feels like we are moving in the right direction. We are appreciative of the organizing. We're appreciative of the leadership. We're appreciative of the humanity,” CTU President Stacy Davis Gates said.
However, it raised questions about who's in charge since now terminated CEO Pedro Martinez is still employed through the end of the school year.
Attorneys for Pedro Martinez confirmed they sent a cease and desist letter to the school board challenging their legal standing to boot him from union talks, which reportedly happened after he was let go.
That didn't stop them from attending.
The restraining order will remain in effect until the next court date on January 9th.
Mayor Brendon Johnson's handpicked interim school board voted unanimously to fire Martinez on Friday, but Martinez contends his contract keeps him on the job until the end of the school year.
WBBM's Rachel Pierson and Sarah Herrera contributed to this report.
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