Dive Brief:

• Chicago mayoral challenger Jesus “Chuy” Garcia is accusing current Mayor Rahm Emanuel of using the city's education landscape "as a profit center for people with powerful connections."
• Garcia's comments followed Emanuel's announcement that he continues to support Chicago Public Schools board member Deborah Quazzo, who has come under fire for possible conflicts of interest since CPS contracts with five ed tech companies that she invests in.
• Quazzo has created quite a stir, especially since the district's business with the companies she invests in has more than tripled since Emanuel appointed her to replace Penny Pritzker, who became U.S. commerce secretary in March 2013.

Dive Insight:

The companies Quazzo invests in have received about $3.8 million from CPS since 2010, but $2.9 million of that total came in since June 2013, when Quazzo was appointed to the school board.

“The ‘business’ of education is providing high-quality learning for our children — not opening the door for a corporate raid," Garcia added, "I know we need a strong business sector for our city to thrive. I also know that education is about students, teachers and their families. It is about building a better future.”

According to the Chicago Sun Times, Emanuel refuses to answer inquiries in regard to when exactly he learned about Quazzo’s business connections to the companies with CPS contracts.