Fact-Checking Campaign Claims in Chicago School Board Election

As Chicago’s school board election approaches, voters are being inundated with campaign materials from various candidates and super PACs. Some residents are expressing skepticism toward the content of these political advertisements.

A review of campaign mailers regarding candidate Jessica Biggs confirmed she received donations from individuals who have also contributed to Republicans, though no link to Donald Trump was found. Regarding claims about school closures, Biggs has stated that closing schools is not a desired outcome, though she noted the district must address facility and enrollment issues.

Digital ads targeting candidate Hilario Dominguez claimed he owed over $35,000 in unpaid taxes. Records confirm he owes approximately $38,000, but Dominguez stated his family has been on a payment plan for the delinquent taxes since February.

A text message supporting incumbent Carlos Rivas claimed he voted against raising property taxes. While he did oppose one specific tax vote, records show he voted to raise property taxes to the legal limit during other sessions to help fund the district budget.

Other campaign materials have faced scrutiny for inaccuracies, including a flyer that misidentified a candidate's children's school enrollment and misspelled her name. Officials noted that some errors were corrected in subsequent materials.