Chicago – December 21, 2024
The Chicago Board of Education voted on Friday night to fire Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez. However, Martinez quickly filed a lawsuit challenging the board’s decision, questioning their authority to remove him.
After a 90-minute private meeting, the board voted 6-0 to terminate Martinez without cause, meaning they didn’t provide a specific reason for his firing. The meeting ended shortly after the vote without any further comments.
According to Martinez’s contract, since he was fired without cause, he is allowed to remain in his position for six more months and receive 20 weeks of severance pay, which is based on his salary of over $360,000.
Martinez’s legal team argues that even if the board keeps him for the remaining six months, they cannot reduce his duties or appoint someone else as a “co-CEO” to limit his authority.
Martinez’s lawsuit is not about whether the board has the power to fire him but about ensuring that the firing is done according to the terms of his contract. His lawyer, William Quinlan, warned that removing him without proper cause would breach the agreement.
