News

Oct 31, 2024

Chicago lawmakers demand city school board president resign over 'pro-Hamas' comments

More than half of the Chicago City Council called on the newly appointed president of the city school board to step down Wednesday, citing a history of "antisemitic and pro-Hamas comments." Rev.

More than half of the Chicago City Council called on the newly appointed president of the city school board to step down Wednesday, citing a history of "antisemitic and pro-Hamas comments."

Rev. Mitchell L. Ikenna Johnson was sworn in as Chicago Board of Education president Thursday. He and six others were appointed by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson this month after it was announced the entire previous school board would be resigning.

Jewish Insider first reported Tuesday that Rev. Johnson shared anti-Israel content to social media following the Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist invasion of the Jewish state. The Chicago City Council members point to the content in their statement, which was signed by 27 aldermen as of Wednesday afternoon.

A specific example of Rev. Johnson's "disdain for Jews" the aldermen point to is a December social media post saying, "my Jewish colleagues appear drunk with the Israeli power and will live to see their payment."

The lawmakers are demanding the reverend immediately resign, saying Chicago Public Schools students "deserve representation who values them and does not express hate towards the Jewish community."

"This situation is a failure of leadership and judgement on the part of Mayor Johnson and his executive team," the statement reads. "Earlier this month, Mayor Johnson told reporters his appointees would be thoroughly vetted before they were sworn in. It is clear that did not take place."

The Consulate General of Israel to Chicago also reacted to the matter, calling on Mayor Johnson to "disavow this inflammatory rhetoric" and commit to combatting antisemitism in Chicago.

Rev. Johnson apologized Wednesday for his "reactive and insensitive" remarks, explaining he is "deeply sorry for not being more precise and deliberate in my comments posted last year."

In a Thursday press release, Rev. Johnson said he was honored to join the Chicago Board of Education and execute Mayor Johnson's vision for "equity and growth" in Chicago Public Schools. His board biography describes him as a "Chicagoland community leader" of more than two decades.

The biography notes he was previously a consultant for Alpha Epsilon Pi, which is the largest Jewish college fraternity in the world.

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