Mayor Johnson appoints more woke activists to Chicago school board

Chaos and wokeism continue to reign in Chicago’s public schools as Mayor Brandon Johnson appoints six new school board members.

On Monday, Johnson announced his new appointments to a board that has recently been a revolving door.

Seven of the board’s previous members resigned en masse in October after disagreements with Johnson.

The mayor – who has a history of filling the Chicago Board of Education (CBOE) with social justice warriors – then found six new progressive activists to replace them.  

However, the new board president, Reverend Mitchell Johnson, resigned after just one week when his history of antisemitic social media posts was uncovered.  

Now, Mayor Johnson has made six more selections. 

Sean Harden, former deputy CEO of Chicago Public Schools, will serve as the next board president. The rest are more activists than educators.  

Anusha Thotakura currently works as the director of Citizen Action/Illinois, whose mission is to lead “the fight for the progressive agenda.”  

Its goal regarding education is to “fully and equitably fund the state’s public education system,” “protect and support the collective bargaining right of all education employees,” and ensure school resources are available to all regardless of “income, gender identity, race, language status, disability and citizenship status.”  

The group also advocates for economic justice and social justice.  

Thotakura’s previous experience includes being a project manager for the Progressive Turnout Project and working for Chicago’s Office of Equity and Racial Justice.  

Reverend Emma Lozano of Chicago’s Lincoln United Methodist Church also describes herself as a “progressive activist” on issues such as migrant and worker rights, social justice, and social equity.  

She says her church is a place where “her activism intersects with her faith.”  

The next appointee was Norma Rios-Sierra, an artist and educator whose art is “inspired by my experience as a Mexican immigrant.”  

Her previous experience includes being an “immigration representative” for the Logan Square Neighborhood Association and managing events for the Palenque LSNA (Liberating Spaces through Neighborhood Action). 

According to its website, “Palenque LSNA is a catalyst for Black, Brown, Indigenous, and Immigrant communities and allies to take care of one another and take strategic action for systemic changes and a just, resilient, and joyful future.” 

Karen Zaccor is a longtime educator and activist who ran for one of CBOE’s elected seats and lost in November. 

In her candidate survey, she says she has “always been active in the education justice movement.”  

Like her fellow appointees, she beats the equity drum to death, supports restorative justice, wants more curriculum about “long-term environmental stewardship,” and is endorsed by the Chicago Teachers Union. 

In pictures from her campaign website, Zaccor, who is white, is seen wearing a Black power fist T-shirt. 

Another failed candidate, Ed Bannon lost his 2023 campaign for Chicago City Council, but now will serve on CBOE.  

Described as a “veteran community organizer,” Bannon’s campaign centered around public safety and economic development, not education. According to his LinkedIn profile, his areas of expertise appear to be journalism and business.