Dignified mayor’s hand-picked school board president resigns after just one week over anti-Semitic social media posts – IJR

The president of the Chicago Board of Education (BOE) resigned Thursday, just a week after backlash over previous anti-Semitic social media posts.

Mayor Brandon Johnson named the Rev. Mitchell Johnson as BOE president on Oct. 24, which came shortly after each board member. announced their resignation at the beginning of the month. rev. Johnson posted several anti-Israel statements on social media after the initial Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, conformable at the Chicago Tribune.

rev. Johnson took to social media in December to say, “His fellow Jews seem drunk on Israeli power and will live to see their payoff,” according to the Chicago Tribune. The one-time BOE chairman also posted about conspiracies around 9/11 and made comments about working women.

Once Rev. Johnson’s posts were published on social media, more than 20 members on Chicago The Board of Aldermen and Mayor Johnson called for the president’s resignation, the Chicago Tribune reported.

“Today, I asked Chicago Board of Education (BOE) President Reverend Mitchell Johnson to resign, and he has resigned, effective immediately,” Mayor Johnson said in a press release. “Rev. Mitchell Johnson’s statements were not only hurtful, but deeply disturbing. I want to be clear: anti-Semitic, misogynistic and conspiratorial statements are unacceptable.”

Along with the Board of Aldermen and Mayor Johnson, Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker also called for Reverend Johnson’s resignation and called for a better vetting process in selecting candidates, The Associated Press reported.

“My administration is committed to supporting the mission of transforming our public education system,” Mayor Johnson continued. “It became clear that his continued participation in the BOE would hinder the important work we need to accomplish for our schools.”

“We will move expeditiously to identify a qualified individual who shares our dedication to educational excellence and who will serve with an unwavering commitment to the values ​​we hold dear,” said Mayor Johnson. “I remain steadfast in my commitment to work with all stakeholders to ensure that every child in Chicago has access to the quality education they deserve. Protecting and empowering Chicago Public Schools students remains our North Star.”

Chicago Public Schools did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment. The City Hall postponed the press release, and Rev. Johnson could not be reached for comment.