Pedro Martinez, the outgoing CEO of Chicago Public Schools (CPS), has filed defamation claims against the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), its president Stacy Davis Gates, and board President Sean Harden. This move, recorded in court documents on Wednesday evening, marks an intensification of the legal conflict following Martinez’s dismissal in December 2022.
The defamation claims were introduced as an amendment to an existing lawsuit that Martinez has filed against several current and former members of the school board. This latest development emerges just a week before Martinez’s last official day on June 18, as he prepares to transition to a new role as Massachusetts’ state education commissioner starting July 1.
The claims focus on statements made by Gates and the CTU that Martinez asserts are false and damaging to his reputation. Steve Mandell, the lawyer representing the CTU, characterized the complaint as an effort to suppress political discourse that typically occurs during labor negotiations.
“If these sorts of statements were actionable, the courts would be flooded with never-ending defamation claims surrounding every negotiation,” Mandell stated, emphasizing the importance of freedom of speech in these contexts.
Harden also dismissed the allegations, stating that he has not made any defamatory comments regarding Martinez.
The CPS board voted on Wednesday to raise its maximum allowable payments to its legal firm, Cozen O’Connor, from $75,000 to $135,000 for their services, particularly in relation to this legal matter.
Martinez’s recent amendment includes accusations against both Gates and the union, centering on various social media posts and public statements. These include claims about Martinez’s past tenure as the district’s chief financial officer, his effectiveness as CEO, his negotiation abilities, and his alleged intentions to close up to 100 schools, which he denies.
In his original lawsuit filed back in December, Martinez sought to prevent the board from interfering in contract discussions with the CTU and successfully obtained a temporary restraining order, prohibiting board members from intervening in negotiations.
According to Martinez’s current complaint, Gates and the CTU disseminated false claims stating that he is “incompetent and unqualified” for his role. The lawsuit asserts that Martinez possesses all requisite qualifications to execute his responsibilities as CEO.
Additionally, his legal team highlights social media posts from last September, wherein Gates and the union insinuated that Martinez aimed to close 100 school facilities. At the time, both Martinez and the CPS board had denied such intentions, with state law prohibiting closures until mid-January.
In response to the controversy, the board went on to pass a resolution assuring that no schools would be closed until at least January 2027.
Martinez contends that the allegations about potential school closures were made with full knowledge of their falsehood. “Davis Gates and the CTU knew the schools study had been performed at the directive of the Former Board,” the lawsuit states, indicating that any suggestion to the contrary is unfounded.
The legal complaint also takes issue with claims made in a Facebook post by the CTU that alleged Martinez could have mitigated budget challenges by recovering millions in charter loan debts and billing Medicaid. Martinez argues that such statements are misleading and inaccurate.
On the Medicaid front, the lawsuit claims that the highest recovery rate during Martinez’s tenure occurred while he was in charge.
Furthermore, regarding charter loans, the complaint states that the district’s operational framework is dependent on contractual agreements with charter operators, dismissing the notion that Martinez could have done more to alleviate financial strains.
The lawsuit cites another contentious point — a post by Davis Gates on X, formerly known as Twitter, which attributed CPS’s current financial difficulties to decisions made during Martinez’s time as CFO from 2003 to 2009, alleging that he “blessed and structured” risky loans. Martinez’s legal representatives argue that these allegations lack truth and accountability.
In addition, the lawsuit accuses board President Harden of making unfounded statements regarding Martinez’s commitment to the school district’s long-term stability. Harden allegedly claimed that Martinez had been more focused on his personal career prospects than on the welfare of CPS students.
These allegations come on the heels of Harden’s comments at an event with the city’s principals union last month, where he purportedly stated that Martinez’s actions had compromised the board’s capacity to make sound decisions for the district.
Harden, while responding to inquiries about the defamation claims, reiterated that all his previous statements were factual based on the ongoing budget situation, emphasizing that the CPS budget faced challenges that made responsible decision-making difficult.
“The budget is incomplete and unsatisfactory, so I stand by those comments,” Harden asserted, pointing out the uncertainties surrounding a proposed budget plan that hinges on receiving an additional $300 million from the city or state. He characterized the financial outlook as tenuous, stating, “We were and we still are looking at what was put out… so the board is not in a position to make sound decisions… That is still the case today.”
The unfolding disputes between CPS and the CTU reflect the increasing tensions stemming from ongoing contract negotiations. The union recently hinted at a potential lawsuit against the district concerning plans to postpone some union contract agreements next year.
The district has indicated that it may need to reassess financial commitments under various labor agreements and vendor contracts to ensure long-term sustainability.
Overall, Martinez’s legal actions against the Chicago Teachers Union and other parties involved represent a notable chapter in the confrontation between CPS leadership and educators’ representatives, highlighting the complexities of educational administration during a troubling fiscal period.
Reema Amin, a reporter for Chalkbeat, has been covering these developments concerning Chicago Public Schools. Interested parties wishing to reach out can contact her at [email protected].
image source from：https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/06/13/outgoing-chicago-schools-chief-files-defamation-claims-against-teachers-union-and-board-president/
