Daley defends Munoz's clout call for daughter

Alderman admitted lobbying for spot at magnet high school

Mayor Daley said Thursday he has never gone to bat for a parent seeking to get their child into one of Chicago's elite public schools, but he sees nothing wrong with Ald. Ricardo Munoz (22nd) calling a principal to get his daughter into Whitney Young Magnet High School.

"I know Rick Munoz. He loves his children and his constituents. I'll make you a bet he called, wrote letters for a lot of kids. ... That alone doesn't make it wrong," Daley said.

"What is he supposed to do -- say 'no' to people? He's an elected official. He's not putting undue pressure like threatening with their budget. ... He doesn't control their money. He doesn't control the flow of money. He doesn't veto anything. He's acting as a public servant on behalf of his constituents."

Asked whether he had ever gone to bat for a parent trying to get their child into an elite public school, Daley said, "I haven't made any calls, no."

And why not, if he truly believes there's nothing wrong with it?

"I just haven't," Daley said. "First of all, my kids went to private school. I'll be very frank. University of Chicago and Francis Xavier Ward. They went there -- and I had to pay a lot of money for it."

Earlier this week, Munoz became the first elected official to publicly acknowledge behind-the-scenes lobbying to fill coveted slots at some of Chicago's most elite public schools.

The alderman told the Chicago Sun-Times that his daughter was admitted to Whitney Young for the upcoming school year after he called the principal to ask that his daughter be allowed to follow in the footsteps of her brother, who was a senior at the school at the time.

More students took the test to get into Whitney Young this fall than any other CPS college prep school, according to figures released Thursday.

Munoz denied that his personal appeal placed undue pressure on Whitney Young Principal Joyce Kenner -- and he made no apologies for it. In fact, the alderman disclosed that he makes "at least 10 to 15" calls every school year seeking similar treatment for the children of his constituents.

As a self-styled reformer, Munoz has not hesitated to criticize Daley. But the mayor rose to his defense.

"As a parent, he is speaking for -- not only his family, but his own constituents," Daley said. "They can refuse the child because [aldermen] have no power over the Board of Education. They don't fund them."

What Daley neglected to mention is that the City Council approves the Board of Education's property tax levy and ratifies the mayor's appointment of School Board members.

Contributing: Rosalind Rossi and Art Golab