The Chicago Teachers Union has gone on strike five times and walked out on students at least three other times since it got the right to strike in 1984. Gaining greater power through Amendment 1 would embolden militant union tactics.

Amendment 1 would permanently write indicted former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan’s public union deals into the state constitution. If passed, neither lawmakers nor voters could ever change them.

If voters pass Amendment 1 in November, it will give teachers unions unprecedented power over what happens in schools. That power could never be curbed.

Teachers union agreements may dictate enforcement of school mask policies – even if Illinois lifts its statewide school mask mandate, a judge noted.

A Sangamon County judge temporarily ended Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s school mask mandate, and Pritzker’s appeal of that ruling lost. Yet the fight showed Illinois teachers unions want kids masked statewide on Pritzker’s say-so alone.