Chicago – Incumbent Chicago Board of Education member Jennifer Custer filed paperwork on Thursday with the Chicago Board of Elections to withdraw from the race to become the board’s first elected president. Custer, the only candidate whose petition signatures were not challenged, said the decision was driven by the massive financial advantage held by special‑interest groups.
“I am exiting because it became abundantly clear that various special interests are prepared to spend millions of dollars in this race,” Custer wrote in a statement. “Going up against that kind of spending in our political system creates an uphill battle that I ultimately decided I did not want to put my family, endorsers, volunteers, and supporters through.”
Remaining Candidates
Four candidates remain in the contest: Jessica Biggs, a former Chicago Public Schools (CPS) principal and current board member; Hilario Domínguez, political director for the Chicago Teachers Union and former special‑education teacher; Victor Henderson, an attorney; and Sendhil Revuluri, a consultant and former vice‑president of the board appointed by former Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Custer said she will keep an open mind about endorsing one of them, adding, “I know the other candidates in this race well, and I will ask the same question I have asked throughout my time on the Board: Who shares my North Star of doing what is best for our children?”
Background and Recent Votes
Custer, a former suburban educator and mother of three, narrowly won her seat in 2024 over Michelle Pierre, who is again running for the District 1B seat. While she initially had the backing of the Chicago Teachers Union, she has taken a more independent stance over the past two years.
She was the sole “no” vote on the board’s decision to place two non‑binding referendums about raising new revenue for CPS on the November ballot – measures championed by Mayor Brandon Johnson’s allies. Custer also voted against confirming Chicago Public Schools CEO Michele King as permanent leader and opposed an amended budget that assumed $150 million more in state revenue. Earlier, she voted against a high‑interest loan intended to reimburse the city for a pension‑fund payment for non‑teaching staff and retirees.
Fundraising Challenges
Custer’s campaign fundraising lagged behind her opponents. One of her top donors is the political action committee of Operating Engineers Local 150, where her husband Jeremy serves as political director. In an April interview with Chalkbeat, she noted that child‑care costs were a major campaign expense, a permissible expenditure under state campaign‑finance law. Providing care for her children allowed her to attend school visits, meet potential supporters, and participate in board meetings.
In her withdrawal statement, Custer thanked her campaign staff and family, especially her three young children, “who have seen less of me than they deserve.”
Career Before the Board
Before joining the Chicago Board of Education, Custer worked as a paraprofessional, classroom teacher, and administrator in Wisconsin and Chicago‑suburban districts. She served two years as president of the teachers union in Itasca and held positions as assistant principal and interim principal in Addison School District 4.
The race for Chicago Board of Education president will now continue without Custer, leaving the remaining four candidates to vie for the historic role.
Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.
