The newly appointed leader of the Chicago school board stepped down on Thursday following reports from news outlets that raised concerns about his remarks. Mayor Lori Lightfoot characterized these statements as “disturbing,” leading to a significant backlash and his ultimate resignation.

Several controversial posts on social media have drawn criticism from state and local officials, who labeled them as sexist, antisemitic, and conspiratorial.

The Rev. Mitchell Johnson, who had just been sworn in as the president of the Chicago Board of Education last week, resigned immediately on Thursday at the request of Mayor Brandon Johnson. He was one of seven new board members appointed by the mayor following the mass resignation of the previous board earlier this month.

Brandon Johnson expressed his concerns in a statement on Thursday, stating that “the hurtful comments are not only upsetting but also troubling.” He emphasized that statements rooted in antisemitism, misogyny, and conspiracy theories will not be tolerated.

This week, reports from the Chicago Sun-Times and Jewish Insider indicated that Mitchell Johnson had made several public and private posts on Facebook containing antisemitic and misogynistic content. These news sources highlighted that Mitchell frequently shared pro-Hamas and anti-Israel messages, which were described by the Jewish Insider as “provocative.”

Mary Ann Ahern, a political reporter from NBC 5 Chicago, shared a post by Mitchell Johnson that included a statement: “When a man makes money, he dreams of providing the best for his family and wife. Conversely, when a woman earns money, she might feel independent of her partner and family. While this may seem harsh, it’s an aspect of reality.” He labeled the post with the phrase “Sad Facts.”

In a different post, Mitchell Johnson shared a picture relating to a 9/11 conspiracy theory from January, which claimed “3,000 experts agree: 9/11 really was an inside job,” captioned with “Facts!!”

Mitchell Johnson’s resignation marks the latest turn in the ongoing leadership turmoil within the Chicago school board. Brandon Johnson has faced significant criticism following the resignations of the entire school board on October 4.

The former board resigned due to conflicts between the mayor and Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro

According to WBEZ Chicago, there are concerns regarding the budget deficits within the school district as highlighted by Martinez. A new school board was appointed on October 24.

Brandon Johnson announced on Thursday that the remaining six members of the school board will hold their scheduled meeting on Friday, and a replacement for Mitchell Johnson will be selected “promptly.”

Demands for Rev. Mitchell Johnson’s Resignation

Following the emergence of certain social media posts, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, along with numerous city officials, urged Mitchell Johnson to step down from his position.

Pritzker remarked earlier on Thursday that this decision would be “in the best interest of our schools and our children.”

“Anyone responsible for leading the Chicago Public School Board must demonstrate focused, inclusive, and consistent leadership. The sentiments expressed in the current Chair’s posts—such as antisemitism, misogyny, and fringe conspiracy theories—clearly fall short of that expectation,” Pritzker stated in his remarks. “We have a duty to our students, families, and educators.”

The governor emphasized the importance of delivering top-notch education, starting with leaders showcasing kindness and inclusivity.

This announcement followed a letter signed by 40 out of 50 city alderpersons on Wednesday, urging Brandon Johnson to remove Mitchell Johnson from the school board. They labeled Mitchell Johnson’s appointment as “a significant error” and criticized the mayor for failing to properly evaluate his school board selections.

It was observed that Mitchell Johnson regularly shared posts after the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict last year, which seemed to endorse Hamas and implied a collective blame on all Jews for Israel’s military actions.

The letter states, “Rev. Johnson escalated his animosity toward Jews by implicating American Jews for the behavior of a military thousands of miles away.” It further mentions a comment he made in December: ‘My Jewish colleagues seem intoxicated by Israeli power and will ultimately face consequences.’

Initially, Mitchell Johnson expressed that he had no intention of stepping down.

Mitchell Johnson expressed regret for his social media posts on Wednesday, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ. He recognized that some of his comments “might be seen as antisemitic,” according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

“I want to begin by apologizing to the Jewish community for my remarks, which were obviously reactive and lacked sensitivity,” Johnson said in an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ. “Since then, I’ve sought input from my Jewish friends and colleagues who have provided valuable insights.”

It’s important for me to be more considerate as I tackle these delicate issues.