Rauner Says The State Is Preparing A Chicago Public Schools Takeover

By Rachel Cromidas in News on Feb 2, 2016 9:10PM

As budget problems continue to bear down on Chicago Public Schools, Gov. Bruce Rauner announced Tuesday that the state is preparing to take over the city's beleaguered school district.

The announcement comes a day after Chicago Teachers Union leaders unanimously rejected CPS's union contract proposal.

Rauner told reporters in Springfield that he has already told the state Board of Education to search for a new CPS superintendent, according to the Sun-Times.

“The state’s going to be ready to step in and take action,” Rauner said. “I asked our administration. I believe it’s coming. I believe a state takeover is appropriate.”

Rauner said the union's rejection of the school district's contract should be a "wake up call" for both Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago's taxpayers. He also called CPS's contract "unaffordable." But that doesn't mean Rauner is on the union's side. Rather, Rauner says the union is partially responsible for the school district's budget woes, and that the contract rejection shows lawmakers that a state takeover is needed.

To Rauner, the state somehow has a better chance of striking a deal with the union than the city at this point:

“We can get a deal done. We are going to get a deal done with AFSCME that’s good for taxpayers and fair. … We would get a deal done with the teacher’s union.