The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) is under fire for its audacious plan that includes a $50 billion pay hike, fully paid abortions, and other exorbitant demands that raise questions about priorities and financial responsibility.
The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) has sparked outrage with its audacious plan that includes a staggering $50 billion pay hike, fully paid abortions, and a plethora of other exorbitant demands that have been met with skepticism and scrutiny.
The union's president, Stacy Davis Gates, has come under particular criticism for sending her own son to a private school while advocating against school choice and calling it racist. Her hypocrisy has cast a shadow over the union's credibility and its ability to represent the best interests of students and taxpayers.
The CTU's demands are particularly alarming given the underwhelming results its members have delivered for students. Only 21 percent of eighth graders in Chicago are proficient readers, according to the Nation's Report Card. Despite this poor performance, the union is seeking substantial wage increases, retirement bonuses, and other benefits that would significantly increase the cost of education.
The average salary for a teacher in Chicago Public Schools is already $93,182, according to the Illinois Policy Institute. The union's plan calls for 9% annual wage increases through fiscal year 2028, which would increase the average teacher's salary to a staggering $144,620 in the 2027-2028 school year. This figure would equate to more than double the median household income in Chicago.
The union also wants 100% coverage benefits for abortion care and fertility treatments, as well as $2,000 stipends for each migrant student to help with academics, transportation, and mental health counseling. The plan also calls for each public school to have a "newcomer liaison" for new students and migrant students, and for unused school facilities to be converted into housing accommodation for migrants.
Furthermore, the union wants to mandate that every school in the district has at least one gender-neutral bathroom and prohibits any member from being compelled to tell parents when a student rejects his or her sex.
The union's far-reaching demands have been met with criticism from taxpayers and education experts alike. Mailee Smith, senior director of labor policy at the Illinois Policy Institute, has blasted Davis' demands, saying they read more like a political agenda than a serious contract intent on supporting teachers' wages and benefits and promoting the education of Chicago students.
Smith added that the demands are far outside the scope of traditional bargaining and put taxpayer dollars on the line in pursuit of more union power and social activism.
The union's demands have also raised concerns about its close ties to Mayor Brandon Johnson, a former CTU legislative coordinator who was put forward by the union to run for mayor. As of June 30, 2023, CTU had funneled more than $2.6 million into Johnson's campaign, while he received more than $6 million from teachers unions altogether.
These financial ties have raised questions about Johnson's ability to represent the best interests of taxpayers and students in contract negotiations with the CTU. Critics have called for him to recuse himself from the negotiations to ensure fairness and transparency.
The CTU's audacious plan has sparked a heated debate about the priorities of the union and the responsibility of taxpayers to fund its demands. The union's focus on social justice initiatives and its willingness to put its own financial interests ahead of the needs of students have raised serious concerns about its credibility and its commitment to improving education in Chicago.
