As Democratic National Convention takes place in Chicago, city's public schools stand empty, reflecting the devastating impact of union-controlled education on student achievement.
As Democratic National Convention delegates gather in Chicago, the city's public school students are being kept home from school for an entire week to accommodate the influx of convention visitors. This decision, made by district leaders, starkly illustrates the priorities of Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and its powerful teachers union, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU).
While the convention goers discuss the importance of education, 320,000 students are being deprived of essential learning time. Teachers are expected to report to work for professional development days, but students are being given the day off to attend the convention or watch it on the big screen.
Chicago Public Schools: A Failure Under Union Control
This is not the first time Chicago students have been kept out of school for political reasons. In late August 2021, CPS remained closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a full year after many other districts had successfully reopened. The CTU, an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers, had opposed reopening efforts, calling them "rooted in sexism, racism, and misogyny."
The state of education in Chicago serves as a cautionary tale of what happens when a teachers union effectively controls a city's schools. The CTU has a strong influence over CPS, with its president, Stacy Davis Gates, and mayor, Brandon Johnson, both having addressed the American Federation of Teachers convention last month.
Chicago Public Schools: A Failure Under Union Control
The consequences of union control are evident in the dismal academic performance of Chicago students. A five-minute walk from the United Center, the convention venue, sits William H. Brown STEM Magnet School, where less than 10% of students are proficient in English Language Arts (ELA) and math. At Robert Nathaniel Dett Elementary School, less than half a mile from the convention site, fewer than 1% of students are proficient in ELA and over 60% are chronically absent.
Throughout the district, reading and math proficiency rates are below 30%. Empty classrooms are a common sight, with enrollment declining by over 50,000 students between 2018 and 2023. Despite the low enrollment, a 2021 state law prohibits CPS from closing any schools until early 2025.
Chicago Public Schools: A Failure Under Union Control
The CTU's demands during its ongoing contract negotiations with CPS illustrate its priorities. The union is seeking a $50 billion package that would include across-the-board raises not tied to performance and lower standards for teacher evaluations. It is also demanding that vacant floors of school buildings be converted into shelters for unaccompanied migrants.
Chicago's students deserve better than the failing education system they currently have. The union-controlled CPS has prioritized politics and union demands over the educational well-being of its students. The Democratic National Convention should serve as a wake-up call to all concerned with the future of education in Chicago and beyond.
