Chicago Politics

First Day Back to School at Leland Elementary School 8.24.26

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Mayor Brandon Johnson attends the First Day Back to School at Leland Elementary School.

Transcript

0:46 If I can have your attention, if I can have everyone's attention on the field, Mustangs, we're going to get started. This morning, I'd like to start by welcoming everybody to this amazing building we call home. This is George Leland STEM School, home of the Mustangs. I am Principal Franklin Allen. This is my amazing assistant principal, Tammy Gardner. and we have been working extremely hard to bring Leland up to the school

1:19 to be the proud pride of the west side of Chicago. Behind us, you'll see all of our Mustang Scholars, and on the opposite side, you'll see the team that is amazing that shows up every single day to support. Thank you, guys. We appreciate you so much. That's who support our babies. At this time, we'd like to welcome you to our campus. We are super excited about kicking in all summer long to get ready for all of our lovely students to just make sure that they have a wonderful, engaging experience. It's going to be joyful. It's going to be going to have an amazing time simply coming to school every day learning,

1:52 doing what they do best. From the moment they enter the building, providing them a nutritious breakfast, to their engaging activities in the classroom, and then our amazing partners, Big Brother, Big Sister, Build, those who come out and provide after-school programming for our students every single day. Thank you for the partnership. We appreciate you. so without further ado i don't want to take up all your time because i'm excited to finish giving our hugs behind me and i have a lot of more important people thank you to all our parents where are my parents at i see you guys thank you you show up all the time thank you for trusting

2:25 us with supporting your babies during the day you know how we do it the mustang way so at this time i'd like to introduce our amazing superintendent ceo dr macklyn king will help me welcome Good morning. I want to thank everybody for being here. I definitely want to thank Principal Franklin Allen. She is one of Chicago Public Schools game changers this academic school year. And if you just heard her, you know exactly why.

3:00 So I couldn't be more excited to start the school year. This is actually one of the most amazing times of the year, and it's because it is the year of new beginnings. This year, CPS is asking all of our families and our students to dream big as we embark on this new journey of a new school year and all that it will bring. Leland embodies an education of what it looks like here on the west side and it also looks like what education can look like for all of our students across all 77 neighborhoods

3:35 and it is our job to make sure that that happens that we start to exemplify the vision that's planted here and seeded for the mustangs across the district from day one i know that principal Alan and her staff are going to do just that as we move on across the next 179 days. I know we'll be excited tomorrow to welcome our youngest babies in pre-K to start the amazing journey. That's right. And I can't say more that all summer long that we are really asking to lean into the one CPS.

4:09 As you see all of the amazing partners here, all of the elected officials, all of our parents, which I'm so grateful to see, our board member, our staff members. We are one, and we're looking forward to seeing all of these bright and shiny faces throughout the entire school year. Again, Jackson Parder, the vice president of Chicago Teachers Union. Good morning. Can you feel the kinetic energy, the excitement, the wonder, the joy that's bringing in this first day of the school year?

4:40 You can really see it, feel it. I saw it across this morning at Day of Promise. It's starting in a much more joyful, hopeful way than it ended last school year. Students from back of the yards over the weekend, she was named the most trusted adult at Hubbard High School in her second year of teaching, and she was laid off at the end of the year. On Saturday, she was called back. So this Board of Education, this mayor, this superintendent have said, we don't need to close schools, we need to invest in them. And we know Leland was on the school closing list once upon a time, and look at it now.

5:14 Look at it now. We have the Department of Environment and we have stormwater recycling that helps this school maintain an environmental gold star for sustainability. We know that there are also forces that aren't helping us. So data centers run by big tech billionaires are getting tax subsidies from Cook County, from the state, from the feds. And our mayor said enough's enough. Let's subsidize special education. Let's invest fully in our students.

5:45 So we are hoping that the General Assembly and the government will walk with us instead of giving tax subsidies to those that don't need or deserve it, that we're supporting our toddlers, our young people, our pre-K, our K-12 environment. So this is going to be a wonderful year. We're going to continue to advocate for all the young people, all that they deserve, and we're going to pour into them no matter what. Have a wonderful first week. Oh, and before I forget, I'd like to bring up my sister in the struggle, Kia Banks of the Principal and Administrator Association.

6:20 Good morning to my brother in Labor Jackson, to all of you all, to our esteemed mayor. our wonderful CEO Superintendent, Dr. King, and to the wonderful and her partner, Assistant Principal Tammy Gardner. This morning I want to say thank you and welcome. I want to welcome you all to the new Leland where progress here looks like increased attendance over 95%. What progress looks like is a gold circle quality education pre-K program.

6:52 What looks like investment in students is George Leland's STEM elementary school. So today we are here to give a shining example of what collaboration looks like. When all people who have what's best for children at the heart and the center of everything they do can come together and demonstrate what investment in students look like. What investments in community looks like. What embracing community partners looks like. That's all present here at George Leland STEM Elementary School.

7:23 And so today and every day, we hope to see this type of collaboration, this type of partnership, this type of investment in our students, because every child that crosses these doors represents the potential and the promise that CPS gives our students every day. So to my colleagues across the city and to each of you, welcome to another wonderful school year in one CPS. Thank you. It is now my esteemed honor to welcome Commissioner Brown.

7:59 Good morning, CPS. I'm Library Commissioner Brown, and I'm so pleased to say that this year we're starting the school year with something new for our CPS students. So for the first time in the history of Chicago, all 350,000 CPS students are returning back to school with their Chicago Public Library card. And that is thanks to a data share agreement, a landmark data share agreement that was made possible by Mayor Brandon Johnson and CPS leadership Macklin King.

8:38 And I want to say something about the pragmatic benefits to our students. Yes, they can borrow material from our six million item collection. They can use our research databases, our computers and our broadband in our 82 community libraries. But most importantly, every single CPS student now has access to free online tutoring in their home remotely. So that's a tangible benefit to all of our CPS families.

9:08 All of those, you know, tough moments of homework at night, they now have that free tutoring in their libraries and at home. Our libraries are also a safe, welcoming space after school, with 29 Umedia locations where kids can explore their passions, their creativity, making music, fashion, and gaming design. Chicago is a city of neighborhoods, and every neighborhood should be one of opportunity, and we're so pleased that there's a landmark in advance.

9:42 A champion of Chicago's library is the alderman of the 29th Ward, Alderman Taliaferro. Good afternoon. We're going to go just the, well, it is morning, isn't it? I'm trying to get to the afternoon with the students. And we're going to go off program just a tad bit. I want to introduce my good friend, Representative LaShawn Ford, our next congressman of the 7th Congressional District. Representative Ford.

10:14 Thank you. Oh, that mayor is something else. We're lucky to have an administration like we have now. I don't think in my whole tenure as an elected official, as a Chicago public school teacher, that we've ever had an administration that loved the students like Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration. He's a fighter for the kids. He's a fighter for the students. He's a fighter

10:44 for families. And we also have an administration in Keene who is standing strong for the students and the families in the Chicago public schools. But right here at this school, the leader, Franklin, I was the speaker at the graduation, and she loves the students, she loves the families, and she loves the community. And so we have a perfect chemistry for George Leland right here at this school today. So I just want to say one of the students that

11:16 I taught is also, I think, teaching here, Kendra Tatum. Can you believe she's getting And I would say that I believe today my daughter is starting her first day as a teacher, as a second grade teacher at the school Clark. We need to do everything we can to not only uplift communities, but I'm here to tell the teachers, the students, the janitors, the lunchroom staff, and all the volunteers, this is the year that's going to be the best year for our students.

11:56 We're going to show them their light, and they're going to shine their light all through the community, all through their families, and they're going to make a difference. So thank you all for showing up on the first day. And if you know anyone that's not here, it's not too late to get on the phone and call them and say, come to school. The mayor is here. The president is here. And Commissioner Tyra Stomps is here, but I can't go longer. Thank you, Alderman, for introducing me and allowing me to speak. Go, George Leland.

12:30 Good morning again. I am Alderman Talaferro, 29th Ward Alderman. Look, I just really want to say congratulations. Congratulations on a decades-long fight for quality of education. Congratulations to our staff for showing up once again this year to make sure that our young children, the children that reside in our neighborhoods, have a better opportunity for growing, for building bridges and creating an opportunity that they're going to somehow in their future

13:00 take the task and just really succeed because of what you do today. I want to congratulate you on your fight, Mr. Mayor, your decades of struggling to make sure the Chicago Public School is one of the best public schools in the United States of America. And this isn't a fight that we take very lightly. This one is taken seriously throughout the years. So thank you for your fight. I want to thank our teachers for once again showing up, our principal for showing up for the students of this neighborhood, for the students of the west side of Chicago.

13:32 Thank you so much. And to our parents, thank you for entrusting your children to our school system. Thank you for entrusting your schools to our principal and our teachers and our staff. We will promise you that we have their future in our hearts. Thank you so much. And I want to introduce, if I could introduce Commissioner Stamps. Commissioner Stamps, a leader in our community and a fighter for education. And a teacher. And a teacher. My good friend, Tara Stamps.

14:03 Good morning, good morning. It is my absolute and incredible. I love the first day of school. When I pulled up, I was like, it's packed. Look at it. It's the first day of school. I was so excited. So much love to all of the teachers who I know had anxiety last night. You was in this building last week, getting your rooms together, getting your plants together. I did this for 25 years straight. I know what it feels like. So mad, mad love to everybody that made it possible. Listen, this is the most important work we can do.

14:35 So thank you. Thank you. Thank you for choosing to be an educator. Our babies believe what you tell them. So tell them they are the best. Tell them that they deserve the best. Tell them this will be the best year. Tell them they're at the best school because they believe us. No matter what you think, in the eyes of these children, you are their best hope. for the life they deserve so without any any further ado oh man shout out to my sarah who's

15:06 here at leland to miss shantay muhammad all right all right all right i would look i have the incredible pleasure and honor of introducing you all know him as the mayor the people's mayor brandon johnson but guess how i knew him as my mentee when he was ready to teach at chicago public schools i was the one who said let this black man in the door to teach these children

15:38 and that he did it is my honor and pleasure to bring to you the mayor of our great city my brother my friend mayor brandon johnson and seventh grade social studies teacher thank you commissioner stamps good morning everyone good morning how we doing west side is this not the best side of town Come on, let me hear you, West Side. And good morning to our Mustangs, George Leland.

16:09 Are y'all in the house this morning? I want to thank our principal, Principal Franklin Allen, our CEO, Macklin King. Thank you to our vice president of the Chicago Teachers Union, Jackson Potter, and to Kia Banks, the president of CPAA, Commissioner Brown. We also have our board member here, Brother G2 Brown, who is an historic political figure. the first fully elected representative school board in the history of chicago making sure that

16:39 we bring democracy to our public education system grateful for representative la sean cave and again thank you to all the parents i know y'all been lining up since last night i know if i could have dropped my children off on tuesday last week i would have let's give it up for all the parents who tolerated these last 97 days of supper to our amazing students. But I do want to especially lift up our workers, our CTU members, SEIU members, and CPAA members.

17:10 The workers, we're the ones who drive our city forward. And anything and everything that we can do to ensure that our workers are fully supported, that's what I'm committed to doing. As we prepare to ring the bell, this school year has special meaning because we're not just going into the first fully elected representative school board. We're also going into a season where we have to demand more from those who have the ability to give more to actually do more. And for too long, our big corporations and the ultra-wealthy in this country, and particularly in Chicago and the state of Illinois, they have been able to get away without paying their fair share in taxes.

17:52 The fact that a billionaire pays the same tax rate as the women and men who provide food are lunch cafeteria workers, that's just unconscionable. And so that's why we are calling on a millionaire's tax to fully fund our schools and to provide property tax relief for our families. And so politicians should not pat themselves on the back when they do the bare minimum. I'm going to say that one more time. You have politicians that have greater expectations of third graders than they do of themselves.

18:23 And that is not the right way to govern. And so what I'm counting on, George Leland and the parents here, let's continue to organize together to make sure that our schools are fully funded. Are y'all ready to ring that bell? okay are y'all ready to start the school year 2026 2027 all right well let's do it

18:57 oh well we are all right here we go okay so apparently i'm sorry to report to all the workers you just had your lunch break no i'm teasing don't don't file a grievance against the principal all right not on the first day all right here we go 2026 2027 let's go mustang

19:37 Quick questions. All right. Hi, good morning. Good morning. Good morning. So this school year going smoothly obviously depends on TIF dollars from the city and state funding dollars that haven't been approved yet. Can you talk a little bit about how you make sure this money does come through so that the school year goes? Thank you for raising that question. Since I've been mayor, I've released over a billion dollars into our public schools.

20:09 There's no mayor in the history of Chicago that has contributed more in tip surplus. In other words, I've done my part. The state of Illinois has to do theirs again. You know, we should not we don't expect the bare minimum out of our students and our teachers and our workers. So why should politicians in Springfield be satisfied with doing the bare minimum? Los Angeles and San Francisco, those schools are funded at 70% by the state of California. New York, 40%. Pennsylvania, 45%. The state of Illinois funds our schools at 25%.

20:41 That's just unacceptable. If a child turned in an assignment and they got a 25% out of 100, that teacher would have to do some work to make sure that that student had fully mastered whatever was in front of them. Springfield has to fully master this idea that investing in black and brown and working class people should not be an arduous task. It's the righteous call. So we're going to continue to work with our partners, our school board members, our superintendent, all of our elected officials to make sure that our schools are.

21:12 Happy First Day of school, everyone. Yes, it is. Mayor, you say you've done your part. The state has to do theirs. Since the budget was passed and there is this $150 million you guys are looking for, could you talk about maybe conversations that have been had since? Yeah, listen, I've spoken with the Senate president. I've spoken with the Speaker of the House. We are speaking with members of the General Assembly. In the coming days, we'll make sure that there's time with the governor as well. Here's the thing. I know that their hearts are in the right place.

21:43 There's agreement. There's alignment around fully funding our public schools. Now we just have to put those agreements into action. Our children are worth it. Listen, these teachers, teachers assistants, principals, assistant principals, cafeteria workers, they show up every single day doing their very best for a community like Austin. Keep in mind, this was a community that experienced the 7th Congressional District, had more school closings in the 7th Congressional District than any other section of this city.

22:16 And now you're seeing proof positive. Leland, Beidler Elementary, just across the street, Clark High School. These schools are thriving in spite of. But we cannot continue to ask these young people and these parents and these staff members to make more out of less. It's just not manageable, right? And so what I would ask of all of you is to challenge Springfield to ask them, just like y'all asked me, what am I going to do?

22:47 Ask them if they're going to invest in our children. Ask them if our children deserve to have schools that are fully funded and resourced. Ask them that. Because the people up here, we're all clear about what our assignments are. These teachers have been working hours, teachers assistants working hours to prepare over weekends, to prepare for our young people. It is well past time that Democrats in this state actually lead with conviction to support working people in the city of Chicago.

23:19 They deserve to have people who are going to fight for them. That's what these parents want. So thank you all. Let's have a great school year. Oh, one more. Okay, this is the last question. All right. Oh, of course. Hello, Bronco parent. You talked about how this could become 2017, where hundreds of people were laid off mid-year. And I'm wondering if you ever see that happening under your administration. Well, listen, I think we have to ask the governor.

23:51 You have to ask state reps. You have to ask state senators. You have to ask board members. Listen, if this was just about my administration, the schools would already be fully funded. Listen, if it were up to me, it would have been done. It's why I went on a hunger strike before I was mayor. is why I became a teacher, right? And so this is under all of our watch. And the governor, the Senate, the House of Representatives, our board members, city council, all of us have a responsibility to make sure that our children have everything that they deserve.

24:23 Thank you all. Thank you very much.

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