Former Cleveland Metropolitan School District CEO Barbara Byrd Bennett (aka Triple-B aka Tha Byrd in certain circles) has resigned her post as Chicago Public Schools CEO amid a public corruption investigation.

From WBEZ:

Byrd-Bennett, who has not been accused of any wrongdoing, took her leave of absence amid reports that federal investigators were looking at the contract between CPS and SUPES Academy. A spokesman for the academy said it has turned over record to investigators, who have also asked for documents from Byrd-Bennett and three other employees. CPS has suspended its contract with SUPES.

SUPES Academy is a for-profit “training” institution, the sort that works to “identify, develop, and support a new generation of outstanding leaders for America’s school systems.” The no-bid contract between CPS and SUPES was worth $20.5 million. Notably, the investigation is occurring against CPS’s estimated $1.1-billion budget deficit. Byrd-Bennett once worked for SUPES and its dubious owner, Gary Solomon.

“I am saddened by the circumstances that have led to Barbara’s resignation and I wish her well,” Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said today.

Our 2003 feature on the state of the schools has more information on Byrd-Bennett’s time in Cleveland (five years into her tenure as CMSD CEO). 

This article appears in May 27 – Jun 2, 2015.

Eric Sandy is an award-winning Cleveland-based journalist. For a while, he was the managing editor of Scene. He now contributes jam band features every now and then.

5 replies on “Former CMSD CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett Resigns from Chicago Public Schools Post”

  1. Before resigning, she attempted to contact Nate Gray for advice…..but couldn’t find a working phone number off the business cards she once got from Mike White.

  3. Hope she ends up in prison soon. She has fleeced so many communities. There is still hope the Jackson family will be called to answer.

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