Argie Johnson | |
---|---|
23rd Superintendent of Chicago Public Schools | |
In office August 9, 1993 –July 1995 | |
Preceded by | Richard Stephenson interim |
Succeeded by | Paul Vallas (as "CEO") |
Personal details | |
Citizenship | United States |
Children | 1 |
Profession | Educator,biochemist |
Argie K. Johnson [1] is an American educator and biochemist who served as superintendent of Chicago Public Schools and deputy chancellor of New York Public Schools.
Johnson hails from Kannapolis,North Carolina. [2] She was the eldest of six children born to sharecroppers. [3] She worked her way through college. [3]
Johnson was originally a biochemist. [4]
Johnson,in 1967,began working for New York Public Schools as a science teacher,in order to financially support her daughter as a single mother. [4] She later rose to become a school principal of David Riggles Junior High School 258 in 1978,which was regarded as a low-achieving school with a crime problem. [4] She held this position for seven years,and school officials stated that test scores rose by as much as 20% during her tenure (although they still fell below the national averages). [4] By the time she left,the school had a waiting list. [4] She was credited with repairing the schools image. [5]
She then served as a subdistrict superintendent. [5]
She rose to serve as the deputy chancellor of the New York Public Schools system,making her the second-in command of the largest school district in the United States. [4] Upon entering the job,she faced controversy as deputy chancellor when she was quickly tasked by chancellor Joseph A. Fernandez with "toning down" the "Children of the Rainbow" curriculum,which sought to teach children to be accepting towards homosexuality and other "alternative lifestyles". The "Children of the Rainbow" curriculum had become nationally controversial. [2] [4] In part,due to her involvement with this controversy,her tenure as deputy chancellor was set to end before 1994,after only two years on the job,with the school board opting not to renew her contract. [2] [4] Despite this,Johnson's leadership performance in New York was overall well-regarded. [4] She was also being considered as Fernandez's possible replacement. [2] [5]
In June 1993,she was hired to serve as the superintendent of Chicago Public Schools, [3] placing her in charge of the third-largest school district in the United States. [6] The Chicago Board of Education voted to hire her by a unanimous vote. [1] She was the district's sixth permanent superintendent in a less than two-decade period. [6] She was the second African-American woman to hold the position,after Ruth B. Love. [4] She signed a three-year contract with the district. [6] Her tenure formally began on August 9,1993. [7]
In 1995,after the district was reformed with mayoral control of schools,she was ousted. [8] [9] [10] She had originally been hired by the Chicago Board of Education,in part,due to her enthusiasm for the "decentralization" scheme of Chicago schools which this reorganization undid. [2] She was replaced in July 1995 by Paul Vallas,who was named to the new position of "CEO" of Chicago Public Schools. [11]
Jane Margaret Byrne was an American politician who served as the 50th mayor of Chicago from April 16,1979,until April 29,1983. Prior to her tenure as mayor,Byrne served as Chicago's commissioner of consumer sales from 1969 until 1977. Byrne won the 1979 Chicago mayoral election on April 3,1979,becoming the first female mayor of the city. She lost her bid for reelection in the Democratic primary of the 1983 Chicago mayoral election.
John William Chancellor was an American journalist who spent most of his career with NBC News. He is considered a pioneer in television news. Chancellor served as anchor of the NBC Nightly News from 1970 to 1982 and continued to do editorials and commentaries for NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw until 1993.
Forrest Edward Claypool is an American politician who has held several positions in the governments of Chicago,Cook County,and the State of Illinois. He was the Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Public Schools from July 27,2015,until December 8,2017. Previous offices held by Claypool include Superintendent of the Chicago Park District from 1993 to 1998,Chief of Staff to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel,and President of the Chicago Transit Authority. In 2007–2008,Claypool served as a key member of Barack Obama campaign's media team,in his capacity as a longtime partner of David Axelrod.
Paul Gust Vallas Sr. is an American politician and former education superintendent. He served as the superintendent of the Bridgeport Public Schools and the Recovery School District of Louisiana,the CEO of both the School District of Philadelphia and the Chicago Public Schools,and a budget director for the city of Chicago.
Jacqueline Barbara Vaughn was an American Chicago Public Schools special education teacher and labor leader. Vaughn is noted as the first African-American and first woman to serve as president of the Chicago Teachers Union,the nation's third largest teachers union local from August 1984 until her death in January 1994.
The Chicago mayoral election of 1983 was first the primary on February 22,1983,which was followed by the general on April 12,1983. The election saw the election of Chicago's first African-American mayor,Harold Washington. Incumbent Mayor Jane Byrne,who had served since April 16,1979 had lost renomination in the Democratic primary in a three-way race between herself,then–Congressman Washington,and then–Cook County State’s Attorney Richard M. Daley in February 1983. Washington would face off against Republican nominee Bernard Epton,winning with a 3.7% lead over Epton in the general election.
Ronald J. Gidwitz is an American businessman,diplomat,and political candidate who served as United States Ambassador to Belgium,while also serving as acting United States Ambassador to the European Union.
Joan M. Raymond was a school district superintendent. She was such of Houston Independent School District (HISD) from 1986,until 1991,as well as for the Yonkers Public Schools,Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205,and the South Bend Community School Corporation.
The Chicago Board of Education is led by a president. The current President of the Chicago Board of Education is Jianan Shi.
Edmund L. Kelly is an American politician who formerly served as General Superintendent of the Chicago Park District and 47th Ward Democratic Committeeman.
James E. O'Grady is a former law enforcement official who served as Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department and Sheriff of Cook County,Illinois.
Samuel W. Nolan was an American police officer for the Chicago Police Department who served as the interim superintendent of the department briefly from April 25,1979 or September 1,1979 until January 11,1980. Nolan was the first African American to serve in any capacity as head of the Chicago Police Department.
William McAndrew Jr. was an American educator and editor who served as Superintendent of Chicago Public Schools in the 1920s. McAndrew was,for a time,one of the best-known educators in the United States.
Chicago Public Schools is headed by a chief executive officer (CEO) appointed by the mayor of Chicago. Currently serving as CEO is Pedro Martinez. This job is equivalent to a superintendent,and,before 1995,the occupant of this office was known as the "superintendent of Chicago Public Schools".
Manford Byrd Jr. was an American educator and education administrator and former school superintendent. Byrd served as the 21st superintendent of the Chicago Public Schools district from March 25,1985,until August 1,1989. Byrd is noted as the first African-American man to serve as superintendent of the district.
Angeline P. Caruso was an American educator,education administrator and former school superintendent. Caruso served as interim superintendent of the Chicago Public Schools district from December 13,1979,until March 25,1981.
In September 1937,amid a polio outbreak in Chicago,Chicago Public Schools undertook a pioneering large-scale program that provided at-home distance education to the city's elementary school students through lessons transmitted by radio broadcasts and materials published in newspapers.
William J. Bogan was an American educator and administrator who served as the superintendent of Chicago Public Schools from 1928 until his death in March 1936. During his time as superintendent,he was regarded as one of the most prominent educators in the United States.
Ted D. Kimbrough was an American educator who served as superintendent of Chicago Public Schools,Sacramento Unified School District,and Compton Unified School District.