Chicago’s school board president resigns after ‘deeply disturbing’ statements, mayor says

The recently appointed head of Chicago’s school board resigned Thursday after reports from the Jewish Insider and Chicago Sun-Times exposed what some Chicago leaders called antisemitic and sexist posts on his social media, as well as a 9/11 conspiracy post.

The Rev. Mitchell Ikenna Johnson, who was president of the Chicago Board of Education for just seven days, resigned effective immediately at Mayor Brandon Johnson’s request Thursday over statements “that were not only hurtful but deeply disturbing,” the mayor said in a release.

“I want to be clear: Antisemitic, misogynistic, and conspiratorial statements are unacceptable,” the mayor said.

The mayor had appointed Mitchell Johnson to the board’s top post. Mitchell Johnson’s abrupt departure follows weeks of tumult at the school board, which saw every member resign at once earlier this month.

“We want every single child in the city of Chicago to feel protected and loved, and particularly right now our Jewish community,” the mayor said about the resignation while speaking Thursday at a news conference about a separate issue: an announcement of terrorism and hate crime charges against a person who police say shot a Jewish man who was walking to a synagogue in the city over the weekend.

The media reports about the posts on Mitchell Johnson’s social media – which the Jewish Insider reported stretched back for months – had prompted Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and nearly the entire Chicago city council to call for his resignation.

According to a post shared by WMAQ’s longtime political reporter Mary Ann Ahern, a photo of the 9/11 terror attacks was reposted on Mitchell Johnson’s social media in January – one that said “3,000 experts agree: 9/11 really was an inside job” with the caption “Facts!!” CNN is working to independently verify this post.

A CNN review of just a few of the posts on Mitchell Johnson’s Facebook account shows that on May 27, he reposted a picture with a message that said: “When a man earns money he dreams of giving his family and wife the best. But when a woman earns money she feels she does not need her man and her family. Sounds harsh but it’s reality.”  The photo was captioned: “Sad Facts.”

Another post highlighted a video in which an audience member asks writer and podcaster Max Blumenthal if “Palestine” initiated the war with Israel with Hamas’ attack on October 7, 2023. Blumenthal argues that Israel initiated the war in 1948.

“If you allow ignorance to be your guide, injustice will eventually be at your front door. We should all support a free and independent Palestinian State,” said the caption on the post.

Pritzker called for Mitchell Johnson’s resignation Thursday.

A city council letter calling on Mitchell Johnson to step down was penned by 50th Ward Alderman Debra Silverstein on Wednesday, and co-signed by dozens of city council members.

“We are deeply troubled by the antisemitic and pro-Hamas comments made by Rev.
Mitchell L Ikenna Johnson,” Silverstein wrote. “The thousands of Jewish families who send their kids to Chicago Public Schools deserve representation who values them and does not express hate toward the Jewish community.”

CNN has attempted to contact Mitchell Johnson for comment but has not received a response. CNN also has sought additional comment from Pritzker and Silverstein.

Mitchell Johnson apologized for his comments, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

The school board, currently appointed by the mayor, oversees Chicago Public Schools. The panel is scheduled to transition to a mix of elected and appointed members in January.

This story has been updated with additional information.

CNN’s Taylor Romine contributed to this report.