Posts tagged Brandon Johnson
Chicago school board OKs $139M to fund new teacher contract, launches equity initiatives
April 27, 2025 // “We’re doing everything we can to shield as much as we can, as we plan for the upcoming budget season,” said Ben Felton, the district’s chief talent officer, in a presentation touting the CPS teacher recruitment process to board members. “But maintaining staffing levels will require additional revenue, and there’s no disillusionment around that.” To address disparities that persist between Black students and other student groups in terms of discipline, academic achievement and access to rigorous academic courses and extracurricular activities, the school board passed a resolution codifying its Black Student Achievement Committee, chaired by board member Jitu Brown, of District 6, on the city’s West Side.
Chicago teachers reach contract deal for the first time in more than a decade without a strike
April 15, 2025 // For the first time in over a decade, Chicago’s public school teachers have a new contract without a strike or threat of a walkout. The four-year agreement includes pay hikes, hiring more teachers and class size limits.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says there is no reason for a teachers’ strike to happen
March 20, 2025 // Local News Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says there is no reason for a teachers' strike to happen chicago By Adam Harrington, Sabrina Franza, Jacob Sarracino Updated on: March 19, 2025 / 10:49 PM CDT / CBS Chicago Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson met with officials from the Chicago Public Schools and Chicago Teachers Union Wednesday, and afterward called for finding a compromise and avoiding a teachers' strike. The mayor met Wednesday with CPS Chief Executive Officer Pedro Martinez, Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates, and Ald. Jason Ervin (28th), head of the City Council Budget Committee.
Chicago Teachers Union favorability down to 29% amidst potential strike
February 9, 2025 // New polling shows 3-in-5 Chicago voters have an unfavorable view of the Chicago Teachers Union. More than 55% said they would be less likely to vote for someone who accepts CTU donations.
Commentary: Ability to Read, Write, or Do Math Is No Longer Required to Teach in New Jersey
January 7, 2025 // Teachers’ unions prevail in New Jersey. Kids will suffer.
Chicago Teachers Union took over Acero charter schools to stifle parents’ rights
December 28, 2024 // The Chicago Teachers Union played a long game with Acero charter schools: unionizing them, undermining them and then taking them over. Now students and parents are left without the charter schools they chose.
Chicago Teachers Union spent $1.74M trying to take over Chicago school board
November 14, 2024 // The Chicago Teachers Union took over City Hall when it bankrolled former union operative Brandon Johnson’s way into the mayor’s office in 2023. Then the union went after the first elected members of the Chicago Public Schools Board of Education. It endorsed 10 candidates and funneled $1.74 million into their races, according to records with the Illinois State Board of Elections. CTU only got four of them elected, and one of those faced no opposition.
Chicago Teachers Union’s actions affect all Illinoisans
October 31, 2024 // What exactly does Davis Gates think is “emergency” status for all of Illinois? CTU’s more than $10 billion in demands include 9% wage increases for Chicago teachers, a housing program for Chicago teachers, a 100% electric bus fleet and solar panels for Chicago school buildings – to name a few. CPS has projected just 52 of CTU’s demands would create a $2.9 billion deficit for the district next fiscal year and a $4 billion hole by 2029. Illinoisans outside Chicago may not think that’s their problem to solve.
Chicago Teachers Union members sue union bosses over missing financial reports
October 14, 2024 // Specifically, the CTU financial secretary is required by union bylaws to “furnish an audited report of the Union which shall be printed in the Union’s publication.” Similarly, the CTU Board of Trustees is to “procure each year, a reliable and adequate audit of the finances of the Union for the preceding fiscal year ending June 30, and to deliver a copy of said audit to other major officers and to announce to the membership of the Union that said report may be inspected in the Union office by any member.” The last audit was released September 9, 2020, and covered the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 fiscal years. Audits for 2019-2020, 2020-2021, 2021-2022, 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 fiscal years have not been released.
Chicago Teachers Union urges city to end TIF districts, send $1 billion in funds to Chicago Public Schools
October 10, 2024 // TIF districts essentially freeze property taxes collected from a specific area, with the extra tax money generated from improved property values going to a fund intended to support development projects in blighted communities. But critics of TIF districts have said they amount to slush funds for elected officials to subsidize real estate developers without properly addressing the needs of low-income communities. CTU officials said their plan to sweep TIF funds back to CPS would help the district avoid mass program and personnel cuts, but it doesn't end there. They also said it would prevent school closures and staff furloughs, all of which they insist are currently on the table under CPS CEO Pedro Martinez's leadership.