Trial lawyer Victor Henderson makes his case for Chicago school board president

Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune on Aug 14, 2026

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CHICAGO — Why does a big-shot trial lawyer want an unpaid gig leading Chicago’s school board?

Victor Henderson, a longtime white-collar civil litigation attorney, points to his time on the board of Urban Prep Academies. The troubled charter school network was on the brink of closure in 2023 amid allegations of financial mismanagement and sexual misconduct.

But Henderson said he saw another side to Urban Prep, which serves Black boys at two high schools on the South Side. One student, he recalls, told him his school “saved his life.” He stood alongside other Black business and civic leaders at a press conference calling on City Hall to step in.

“I asked administrators, ‘Wasn’t there somebody at (Chicago Public Schools) who they could talk to to try to work things out?’ They told me no,” Henderson said.

“I didn’t understand any of it,” he went on. “I think it’s just emblematic of how there’s too much politics in the system. There’s too much talk of City Hall and who supports the mayor, and not nearly enough talk of study hall.”

Henderson is one of five candidates running for president of the Board of Education. Also running are current board members Jessica Biggs and Jennifer Custer, Chicago Teachers Union political director Hilario Dominguez and former board appointee Sendhil Revuluri.

Among the crowded field, Henderson is arguably the least-known figure in Chicago’s education circles. He said that could be an asset: As an outsider, he hopes to bring a fresh perspective to a system grappling with a mounting structural deficit, stagnant test scores and dwindling enrollment.

The race is shaping up to be one of the closest-watched contests in the November election. For the first time, all 21 seats on the Board of Education are up for grabs. Previously, the board was comprised of seven mayoral appointees. The board president works closely with CPS CEO Macquline King to shape district policy, largely by deciding what goes up for vote.

If elected, Henderson said his priority would be stabilizing the district’s finances and setting up standing committees — a model that several of his opponents have also supported. The board’s bylaws call for three committees focused on student success, operations and finance, but none has been formally established.

He called the district’s $10.11 billion amended budget, which banks on $150 million in additional state funding that has not materialized, “a mess” and “a fiasco.”

The recent budget vote has emerged as a key dividing line in the race. Sitting board members Biggs and Custer voted against the budget, and Revuluri has also voiced opposition. Dominguez, who was endorsed by CTU, is the only candidate who has come out in support.

“CPS has a financial crisis, a budgetary crisis, and I’m the only person in the race who has that frame,” Henderson said. He is a former licensed certified public accountant, state records show.

Henderson’s four adult children are CPS graduates, as are his parents and in-laws. He lives in Morgan Park on the Far South Side. He founded his law firm, Henderson Parks, in 2011, and has represented a wide range of high-profile clients and elected officials, including former Ald. William Beavers and former state Rep. Derrick Smith.

His firm has two pending lawsuits against CPS. In one, Henderson represents a group of families who allege a special education teacher physically abused students. In another, he represents the family of a 10-year-old boy who died after having a seizure at an elementary school.

Henderson stressed he would drop any involvement in litigation against CPS if elected.

“My integrity, my reputation means way too much to me,” Henderson said. “Same amount of sunshine that I want to see on the CPS finances, I would be more than happy to have applied to me.”

Henderson also has surged ahead in the money race, with $598,000 in cash on-hand last month, according to state records. Much of that advantage stems from $500,000 in loans to his own campaign. Almost all of his other contributions come from individuals. Revuluri trails with $216,000 on-hand, followed by Biggs and Custer with $121,000 and $23,000, respectively. Dominguez did not report any contributions during the last filing period, but has since recorded nearly $100,000 from in-kind donations from CTU.

Henderson said he wants to keep his focus on two stakeholders through his campaign and, if elected, as board president: children and taxpayers. But everyone “should have a seat at the table,” he added.

“I’m just going to take my skills from the courthouse, and just move them over to the schoolhouse,” Henderson said.

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