The candidates in Chicago School Board District 6 in the Loop and the South Side agree on many issues, but have slightly different takes on what the school district should prioritize.
All of the candidates run or work for non-profit organizations.
Three candidates are on the ballot and there’s one write-in. They are Andre Smith, who runs an anti-violence group; Jessica Biggs is a former CPS principal who now works for a community organization; Anusha Thotakura runs a progressive political organization; and write-in Danielle Wallace leads an Englewood organization that offers programming for children and youth.
With voting districts that divide Chicago into 10 areas, each one is large and diverse. But the 6th District is unique as it includes Streeterville and parts of Englewood — two of the most economically distinct neighborhoods in the city.
Thotakura, who spent two years as a middle school math teacher in California, is endorsed by the Chicago Teachers Union. Her campaign fund has brought in about $390,000.
Andre Smith is supported by the Illinois Network of Charter Schools and Urban Center Action, two more conservative groups that oppose the teachers union. In addition to the money he has raised, these two super PACs have spent about $337,000 to support him. Smith’s son attends a charter school and he says he welcomes the support. He ran for other political offices, but had little money to mount campaigns.
Jessica Biggs has been severely outspent, only bringing in a series of smaller donations. But she says being an independent might be an advantage as the two others duke it out in negative campaigns.
None of the candidates support raising the property tax levy to the maximum allowed each year, closing under-utilized schools or having police officers stationed in some schools, as was the case up until last year.
They all also say they support charter schools as an option, but Biggs said she does not want to see any new charters open, while Thotakura said she would prioritize neighborhood and other CPS-run schools.