Bruce Rauner has apologized for a 2011 email in which he characterized Chicago Public Schools teachers as “virtually illiterate” and principals as “incompetent”.
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Rauner’s assertion was revealed Thursday in emails Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration released under a court order.
At the time, Rauner was a private equity executive and participant in Chicago school reform.
“I apologize for the statement I made in that email in 2011”.
Governor Rauner publicly apologized Friday morning after signing new legislation for school testing transparency. “Made a lot of money doing it, and with the money we’ve made, we’ve given back, funded teacher training, teacher education, scholarships, principal development, charter schools, early childhood education”.
“Gov. Rauner, we are teachers and we are not illiterate”.
“Your remarks are inflammatory and Trump-like”, he added.
And one by one, several teachers stood up and “read” statistics from books about IL education and their dismay for the governor and were then escorted out by an officer.
Despite the interruption, the governor did sign both of those education bills.
The CTU issued a statement Friday, further condemning the governor for his comments. “And I apologize. I am a strong advocate for teachers”.
Rauner said Friday he was supportive of teachers but that his goal was to see good teachers in every classroom and more school choice for parents so no students are “locked in a failing school”.
Rauner expounded on his commitment to education during the press conference, claiming that “the primary reason” he ran for governor was to address schools. He was joined at an appearance by his wife, Diana Rauner, who runs the early-ed organization The Ounce of Prevention Fund-one of many non-profits that sued the state for payment amid the long budget impasse.
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Tensions have ratcheted up between IL and Chicago officials over school funding, as my colleague Denisa Superville and I reported recently for Education Week.
