While Tuesday’s election night at Moe’s Cantina on West Hubbard Street was filled with supporters of new Illinois Attorney General Eileen O’Neill Burke, Angel Gutierrez celebrated his Eighth District school board victory in Chicago with a small group of supporters at the same venue.
Gutierrez, a pro-school choice candidate, defeated Felix Ponce, who was backed by the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU). He said his victory highlights the district’s stance on parental choice in education and signals a shift toward diverse perspectives on the Chicago Public Schools board.
“The Eighth District came out today…” Gutierrez said, emphasizing the community’s support for school choice.
Addressing the CPS budget deficit is a top priority for Gutierrez. He believes this can be achieved by eliminating strategic inefficiencies and improving transparency about how funding reaches classrooms.
“There’s one standing committee,” Gutierrez said. “How does a board not have a finance committee? How does a board that is struggling with relationships in the community not have a parent or community affairs or a legislative committee? Then I think the other piece is trying to make sure that we are good stewards with the almost $10 billion dollars taxpayers pay into our system.”
Gutierrez also supports restoring canceled busing for general education students, maintaining busing for students with disabilities, addressing school closures due to low enrollment, promoting school choice, and allowing Chicago police in schools when requested by administrators.
Gutierrez commented on the recent forced resignation of school board president Rev. Mitchell, emphasizing the importance of vetting future appointees.
“One of the things I ran on was my experience of being an executive, right?” Gutierrez said.
“[Vetting] is management 101. You apply for a job; there is a process. I’ve been appointed to numerous commission task forces at the federal, state, and local level that I’ve always been vetted. These are HR issues but it doesn’t surprise me. He (Johnson) loses people all the time. It’s a revolving door at City Hall, so that’s a problem. That’s what happens when we elect a leader who’s not ready for prime time.”
Ald. Marty Quinn, whose 13th Ward falls within the Eighth District, celebrated Gutierrez’s win. “Last night the voters of the 13th Ward overwhelmingly supported Angel in a resounding victory,” Quinn said. “I think it was a hard-fought contest, and now it’s time to roll up the sleeves and get to work.”
Quinn highlighted key priorities in the 13th Ward, including overcrowding at Hubbard and Kennedy high schools, the need for expanded full-day preschool for 3-year-olds, and the protection of investments in selective schools and established curriculums.
Ald. Silvana Tabares of the 23rd Ward echoed Quinn’s sentiments and expressed optimism about Gutierrez’s contributions to the school board.
“There’s a political war in our city,” Tabares said. “You have one side that is pushing an extreme agenda that makes us less safe, less stable, and less prosperous. The other side is a group that is fighting for common sense, public safety, and a secure future for our kids. I know what side I’m on, and it’s clear what side the residents in [school district] eight are on based on the election results.”
She added, “The City of Chicago was built on common sense and hard work, and this continued work ethic will save this city. I see it in our neighborhoods, I see it in the ward, and now we’re going to see it when Angel Gutierrez brings it to the Chicago Public School Board.”
Seventh district school board candidate Eva Villalobos, who lost to CTU opponent Yesenia Lopez, attended her watch party on Nov. 5 at Moe’s Cantina. Despite her loss, Villalobos vows to keep lobbying in Springfield for social/emotional learning and equitable funding in Chicago schools.
Yesenia Lopez, the CTU-backed winner of the Seventh District school board seat, represents another facet of the newly elected board. Her campaign platform emphasized equitable funding for underserved schools, expanding bilingual programs, improving mental health resources, and bolstering special education services.
Lopez’s vision statement on her campaign website says that every child is entitled to an excellent education and that collaboration builds strong schools and spirited communities. Lopez declined to comment for the Southwest News Herald.