Union votes to defy Chicago school reopening plans, boosting potential for another strike

By Mailee Smith

01/25/2021

Students are scheduled to return to classrooms Feb. 1 for the first time in 10 months. The union is threatening that.

TAGS: COVID-19, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, strike

Four things to know about Chicago teachers striking over COVID-19

By Mailee Smith

01/22/2021

Most of CPS’s 340,000 students haven’t been in a classroom for 10 months, and a brewing CTU strike could keep them out even longer.

TAGS: COVID-19, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, strike

Illinois lawmakers hand Pritzker another tax loss, pass Chicago pension hike

01/19/2021

Lame duck session was busy even when House Democrats weren’t focused on replacing Mike Madigan as speaker. Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s small business tax hike died as 23 bills were passed, including one making Chicago’s pension woes worse.

TAGS: firefighter pensions, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, lame duck session, police misconduct, unions

Bill would give more power to CTU in fight to prevent school reopening

By Mailee Smith

01/11/2021

Illinois labor laws prevent the Chicago Teachers Union from going on strike to protest the reopening of school buildings. But the union is winning a push for legislation that places students’ return to school in jeopardy.

TAGS: COVID-19, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, strike

Returning to school: What Illinois parents, teachers, school boards need to know

By Mailee Smith

01/08/2021

Illinois students are returning to school, but some unions are scaring teachers about their safety in the classroom. The science doesn’t support those fears, and the law may put teachers at odds with union demands.

TAGS: COVID-19, government unions, public schools, teachers

Everything you need to know about COVID-19 in Illinois

By Brad Weisenstein

01/08/2021

This page will be updated daily to reflect developments related to the spread of COVID-19 in Illinois.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, IDPH: Illinois Department of Public Health, Illinois, JB Pritzker, Lori Lightfoot

Chicago teachers refusing to return to school face discipline, up to firing

By Mailee Smith

01/08/2021

The Chicago Teachers Union is encouraging Chicago Public School teachers to “take action” against the school district, but the union’s agenda risks teachers’ jobs without backing by science or law.

TAGS: COVID-19, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union

Lightfoot budget includes automatic property tax hikes, gas tax hike

By Adam Schuster

10/22/2020

A typical Chicago homeowner faces up to $255 in potential property tax increases to cover city and school deficits. City income taxes could be next, if the ‘fair tax’ were to pass.

TAGS: budget, Chicago, Lori Lightfoot, property taxes

CTU supports use of mock guillotine, ‘wherever’ it was headed

By Mailee Smith

08/31/2020

CTU members who don’t support the union’s violent rhetoric have another option: they can opt out of the union. But they must do so today if they want to stop paying dues this school year.

TAGS: Amazon, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, Jeff Bezos

Corruption costs Illinois an estimated $556M per year

By Bryce Hill

08/25/2020

Illinois’ high levels of corruption damage the state’s economy, costing it $10.6 billion since 2000. States with higher levels of corruption average lower levels of economic growth.

TAGS: corruption, economic growth, ethics, JB Pritzker, Mike Madigan, tax burden

Chicago Public Schools

Union votes to defy Chicago school reopening plans, boosting potential for another strike

Four things to know about Chicago teachers striking over COVID-19

Illinois lawmakers hand Pritzker another tax loss, pass Chicago pension hike

Bill would give more power to CTU in fight to prevent school reopening

Returning to school: What Illinois parents, teachers, school boards need to know

Everything you need to know about COVID-19 in Illinois

Chicago teachers refusing to return to school face discipline, up to firing

Lightfoot budget includes automatic property tax hikes, gas tax hike

CTU supports use of mock guillotine, ‘wherever’ it was headed

Corruption costs Illinois an estimated $556M per year

4 ways to break out of Illinois’ pension trap

Report Archive

Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students