Chicago Teachers Union cutting class to lobby Springfield lawmakers
The Chicago Teachers Union is directing members to skip class during the school day to lobby state lawmakers in Springfield. Union members will be seeking more taxes at taxpayer expense.
An internal Chicago Teachers Union memo is urging members to use a “release day” to leave their students and lobby lawmakers in Springfield.
That means they will lobby for more taxpayer dollars while being paid with taxpayer dollars to not do their jobs in a school district woefully behind at producing students proficient in reading and math.
“If we’re going to get what we need, we must push for it. We need you to come to Springfield with us next Wednesday, May 15, to advocate for more school funding,” the email read.
Teachers can partake in political advocacy on their own time, but this day of action would be during regular school hours and at taxpayer expense.
Chicago Public Schools has seen steady budget growth combined with dwindling enrollment. CPS’ per-pupil operational spending is $24,132, up more than 50% from $15,878 in 2018.
CTU held a similar event with students during the March 19 primary election when they took students out of class to hear from proponents, told how to vote and then marched to the polls to vote for Mayor Brandon Johnson’s real estate transfer tax hike. It failed.
May 15 also marks one year since Johnson took office. Since CTU successfully funded Johnson’s bid for city hall, he has served as their biggest ally in Chicago and Springfield. Johnson was a CTU employee and has filled city hall with his CTU cronies.
Taking a trip to the state capitol is a rite of passage for school-age students in Illinois. Now CTU is asking teachers to leave kids at school and tell lawmakers they need more money to support the 142-pages of contract demands, including average teacher raises of $51,000, plus social justice, housing and environmental policy changes CTU President Stacy Davis Gates said could cost “$50 billion… and three cents.”
Johnson appointed the school board and is negotiating the new CTU contract with his allies.