Now, both Johnson and CTU have lost a fight to secure a $200 million loan to avoid the need to reduce the budget or staff. Johnson fired the head of the school board and packed the board with his allies in order to secure the loan. That would have involved confronting the CPS staff and the powerful union. When the former head of the board floated cutting back on the budget and staff, Johnson and the CTU forced him out. Even the CPS staff was raising alarms over Johnson’s new math approach to loans.