>> Chicago's first fully elected school board is taking shape across 20 districts and with at least 6 new faces, the new board is sure to bring together a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives.

They'll also face new challenges right off the bat, including a potential budget shortfall.

If state funding doesn't come through and the possible expiration of a school closure moratorium.

Joining us now is member elect Brittany Campbell from District 6 be on the South Side, which includes the loop greater Grand Crossing, Englewood, Hyde Park and Woodlawn.

We were hoping to be joined by school board member elect put out from district one be on the northwest side.

But at the last minute, she needed to attend to a family matter.

Brittany, thank you for joining us.

Thank you.

so what experience what vision to you bring with you to the school board?

I have a huge vision and I say it comes from being a parent of a 13 in also.

>> My career as a criminal defense attorney, I see where what happens when things go really, really bad.

And now if they think they're family issue, our education like can help them win the family issue.

But week absolutely help on education side.

>> How do you think your experience as as a criminal defense attorney and certainly as a parent, of course.

But how about influence you your priorities when you're serving on the board.

What's important to you?

Well, I think that it would center them really because.

>> As I said, I know what happens when things go bad.

So where things people may all we can put that off to later.

I urgency that no, it has to happen now.

Yeah.

Don't go through whatever grade once want to use your district.

It goes from the loop to Englewood, one of the some of the unique challenges that are faced by your district.

I think that we some of the achieving students and some of the lowest.

So I think a unique issue for me is how to make sure that I'm centering both of them because I don't want the highest achieving to feel like they don't have a representative and absolutely the lowest achieving students.

They have to have a seat at the table advocate as well.

What about some of those schools?

What he what are some of the challenges that the schools with means would be facing well, one of the biggest things I would say is teacher turnover.

They a teacher so shortage and that's want to like you can't have stability for the students if they don't have a stable teachers.

I think that that's one of the things that is a major from my district.

Your race was the only one in the district CTU and SEIU did not make endorsements.

What do you think you'll need to do to earn the support of school staff?

>> I politics aside once we put politics aside, we focus on the children that they will get their support.

How do you do that?

>> By meeting them and if they know that I'm advocate for them as well, even though they didn't back me in the race.

I'm a board member.

I am advocate for them.

I think that they support at that point.

Like I mentioned, cloudy for out.

Unfortunately, she could not stick with and we wish her the best.

>> Hers was the most expensive district, one of the most expensive district races packs common ground collective and the Illinois network of charter schools spent about 71 dollars per vote opposing her supporting her opponents.

Money in your race.

Obviously a different matter.

But what would you say about the influence of different sort of factions and money?

>> In the school board race altogether?

>> I money.

Is a very important part when it comes to the school board races because not many people think they think of school board should be that expensive.

But trying to get award across the 60,000 people is expensive.

And so I think people in the organization's took that very seriously and decided to spend money for who they thought would be a better candidate.

I think that we all adults at this point and who has won, they won.

And I think we will all be able to come together for the students to think there's any impact, any influential impact because, you know, there are some big organizations that that through money into this and some of them are very loud about what it is they stand for and what they believe in.

>> Do you think by those large, you know, organizations throwing lots of money towards, you know, some candidates does that say anything about the candidate?

No, I honestly think that what it means is that this organization strongly about the candidate that the candidate >> would open minded and perhaps look at their views.

But personally, I would say they wanted to invest in the candidate, not necessarily at the candidate.

Want to say invest in organization.

>> Last week we ask CTU President Stacy Davis, Gates, how money and politics are shaping the race.

Here's what she said.

>> Well, I would say for me is just the redone Dun story.

The individuals who poured millions of dollars into the race for also the individuals who are staunchly opposed to legislation passing Springfield for years.

They were staunchly opposed to the legislation.

The finance requirements, voting requirements.

And so like most opponents, they take their game from one court to the next court.

So if they can stop the elected school board, then they shaped it with their millions.

>> As a as a new member, do you think political disagreements that predate your election will have any influence on your work and the board's work I would say no.

And the reason why say that is because I've had to do it.

A whole lot of different interests in its my work as an attorney in so it will really shaped me.

I would listen to everyone, but I was controlled by no one.

As far as getting elected.

And while I'm working for the students, I won't leave.

>> President-elect Jessica big.

She also joined us on the show here last week.

We asked her about school closures.

Here's what she said.

>> And, you know, this is this is something that we need to tackle in the district.

I think, you know, I I have proposed thinking about enrollment across our system as a metric of public trust.

I do think it is worth paying attention to this percentage of school age kids that enroll in Chicago, public schools and setting some goals to grow that at the same time, you know, we know that these numbers also reflect declining birth rates.

That's the reality of the moment.

And I think we need to be working indeed, partnership in coalition with communities across the city to figure out how we best address that challenge.

>> So that moratorium on school closures, it expires at the end of the school year.

What do you think the board should be considering?

I think that the board should be considering possibly extending it for the simple fact.

Cps has not come up with a plan and they knew that the moratorium will be lifted in 2027 and if they want it to close schools, they sure that they had enough time to come up with a plan.

And so because the plan has not been established, at least from what I have seen the end, they should be considering extending it until we are able to address all things and we can specifically say this will save CPS money because just because you close the school does not mean that you will absolutely safe CPS, money, your district experienced some of those closures.

What, 10, 11, 12 years ago back when that happens.

thoughts on how that impacted?

>> Those I think it impacted the communities because the buildings lie they can't.

They are eyesores.

I also think that impacts when we talk about school attendance because now the students have to travel further to get to school selling.

We live in Chicago and it's the winter time.

And so.

School.

If you make school harder to get students will go there.

The district is also facing some financial concerns.

Challenges insecurities.

However, you want to call What do you see as a path towards financial stability for the school district?

>> Spending money that we have and not a sewing that we will get more budgeting for the money that we have.

I think that that we should be able to educate our children $300,000 300,000 students within the funds that we have.

>> So it sounds like you would probably oppose the passage of the budget that included the 150 million dollars that the district is hoping the state will be getting your giving.

Yes, I would have a post it and I am for the children's sake and for everyone's sake, I do hope that the 150 million coming in because now that seems like something that will be right on my J to That will be when you all are installed.

Of course.

>> Best of luck to you.

Brittany Campbell, brand new District, District 6 Congo Board of Education member elect.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Up next, looking at Chicago's dramatic life expectancy gap.

>> Education reporting on Chicago tonight is brought to