Jitu Brown and Jousef Shkoukani are pictured. A photo of Kernetha Jones was unable to be obtained. [Photos from campaign social media]

Just one candidate is officially on the ballot in the Chicago Board of Education race in District 5 — Aaron "Jitu" Brown, an activist for education and national director for the Journey for Justice Alliance. Brown was part of the hunger strikes in 2015 that helped thwart plans to close Walter Dyett High School in Bronzeville.

The powerful Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) has endorsed candidates in each of the board races and has endorsed Brown in District 5, which includes Austin, Garfield Park, Homan Square, Galewood, Lawndale, Greektown, West Town, Fulton Market and other parts of the West Loop.

While Michilla "Kyla" Blaise is also on the ballot, she has withdrawn from the race after being nominated to the school board by Mayor Brandon Johnson just over two weeks ago.

Related: Mayor announces six new Board of Education appointments, defends his authority in news conference 

However, two write-in candidates have qualified for the District 5 race — attorney Jousef Shkoukani, who runs an equality in education nonprofit, and Kernetha Jones.

In all but two of the 10 school board races, contribution limits have been lifted as a result of the amount of money being raised and spent. District 5 is one of the races where fundraising caps haven't been lifted. Early voting is ongoing in the school board races. 

As of Oct. 22, Brown’s committee has reported $48,330 in individual contributions, in-kind contributions and transfers.

Brown’s committee has reported $32,325 in in-kind contributions, and of that $14,490 were made by CTU’s political committees. The contributions were made in the form of field staff, field services, fundraising consulting and photoshoot preparation. 

The Illinois Federation of Teachers has given at least $7,764 in in-kind contributions to Brown’s campaign. The contributions were in the form of field staff. Brown’s committee has also reported over $5,000 in in-kind contributions from the progressive coalition Our Schools Chicago’s political committees in the form of technology and subscription costs, petition costs and field staff. 

Finally, Brown’s committee has reported at least $5,056 in in-kind contributions from People United for Action (PUA) for canvassers.  

Brown’s committee has reported $15,505 in individual contributions. His campaign’s biggest individual donors include PUA, which has given at least $1,875 to the campaign; State Rep. Lilian Jiménez (D-Chicago), whose All In With Lilian political committee gave $1,000; State Sen. Lakesia Collins (D-Chicago), whose Friends of Lakesia committee gave $1,000; and Manhattan resident Richard Gray gave $1,000.  

Additionally, Ald. Michael Rodriguez (22) has personally given Brown at least $250, Cook County Comm. Tara Stamps (D-1), has given at least $500 personally, and former CTU President Jesse Sharkey has given at least $250 personally. Our Schools Chicago Chair Rod Wilson has given at least $500. Additionally, Brown's only transfer into his committee has been a $500 transfer from U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez's (D-Ill.) leadership political committee, Rooted and Ready PAC.

Shkoukani told The Daily Line that after he was removed from the ballot, his campaign chose to forgo fundraising and endorsement efforts until it can mount a more competitive effort in 2026. His committee did not reach the statutory threshold to require campaign finance reporting. Information about Jones’ campaign financing was unable to be found.

The candidates are competing for a two-year term on the board, which is phasing in an all-elected board member model. In January 2025, 10 elected board members and 10 mayor-appointed board members will take office, and the mayor will appoint a board president. Early voting is ongoing in the school board race. 

Following the 2026 elections, all 20 board members and the board president will be elected by voters and seated in January 2027.