By CTU Women’s Rights Committee | June 23, 2021 | News
File under: CTU Committees, nursing mothers, Women’s Rights Committee
The CTU Women’s Rights Committee wants to increase the support for working, nursing mothers going forward. In order to keep up the pressure on CPS some information is needed. If you have had a baby in the past 3 years and/or if you are pregnant now, please take the time to answer these 15 questions.
By CTU Communications | June 22, 2021 | News, Press Release
File under: COVID, COVID-19, Layoffs, Lori Lightfoot
Some of city’s hardest-hit South, West Side neighborhoods taking staff cuts, despite $1.8 billion in federal supports to prevent layoffs, stabilize school communities, support students. 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 23: press conference with laid off educators, CTU...
By CTU Communications | June 21, 2021 | News, Press Release
File under: COVID-19, Jesse Sharkey, Layoffs, Lori Lightfoot, North Lawndale
Lightfoot’s CPS team to lay off over 400 educators in some of city’s hardest-hit South, West Side neighborhoods, despite $1.8 billion in federal supports to prevent layoffs, support students. CHICAGO, June 21, 2021 — Chicago Teachers Union President Jesse...
By Kurt Hilgendorf, Education Policy Director | June 21, 2021 | Legislative Update, News
File under: ERSB: Elected Representative School Board, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly
Up until now, Chicago Public Schools has never had an elected school board in its entire history. All that will change as HB 2809 — passed in the Illinois General Assembly’s 2021 spring session — goes into effect. It’s been a long time coming.
By CTU Communications | June 19, 2021 | News
File under: Juneteenth
The best way to honor those who built this nation for free, in bondage, is to fight forward for a society that is based on equity, justice and fairness for all, no matter their ZIP code, color, creed or citizenship status.
By CTU Communications | June 17, 2021 | Movement, News, Uncategorized
File under: Sports
Sign the petition! Sports are essential for mental and physical growth, and with the influx of funding into our district, the athletic programs in our schools cannot look like they did pre-COVID. We are emerging from a pandemic and children will have to continue adjusting to a “new” normal. CPS and the mayor should be giving our students more, not less.
By CTU Communications | June 16, 2021 | News, Press Release
File under: ERSB, ERSB: Elected Representative School Board
Today’s vote represents the will of the people, and after more than a quarter of a century, moves our district forward in providing democracy and voice to students and their families.
By Carol Caref | June 16, 2021 | News
File under: John Ewing, Stacy Davis Gates
Testing companies, along with education administrators and politicians who have drunk the testing Kool-Aid, can’t stop talking about the “learning loss” of students this past year. CTU Education Policy Analyst Carol Caref deconstructs the madness.
By CTU Communications | June 14, 2021 | News, Press Release
File under: CEO, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, Jose Torres
We look forward to a collegial and collaborative relationship with Dr. Torres in enforcing our agreements with CPS, and returning safely to school buildings in the fall.
By Christel Williams-Hayes, Recording Secretary | June 11, 2021 | Chicago Union Teacher, Departments, Features, News
File under: ADA: Americans with Disabilities Act, Judy Mahoney, PSRP: Paraprofessional and School Related Personnel
PSRP Judy Mahoney is exactly the kind of employee CPS should value. She served as the school clerk at Whittier Elementary in Pilsen for 23 years until a drunk driver changed the course of her life one night. Now, four years later, CPS has slashed Judy’s position at the school and, had our Union not fought back, she would have been out of job at the end of June.
By CTU Communications | June 9, 2021 | News, Press Release
File under: COVID tracker, COVID-19, Right to Recovery
Chicago Teachers Union and the Chicago Teachers Union Foundation collaborate on vaccination effort, open to the public, to help students and families return to school buildings safely in the fall. 3 p.m., Thursday, June 10: Press availability with Chicago Teachers...
By CTU Communications | June 9, 2021 | News, News Advisory
File under: Epic 4, EPIC Academy charter school, Epic Four
EPIC students call on charter management to reverse retaliatory firings of four teachers, including one educator identifying as non-heterosexual and targeted for his support of LGBTQIA+ students.
By CTU Communications | June 9, 2021 | News, Press Release
File under: Epic 4, EPIC Academy charter school, Epic Four, Strike, Urban Prep
Teachers and staff in predominantly Black, all boys charter network win long sought-after special ed protections to which 30% of Urban Prep students are eligible, while EPIC students call on charter operator to reverse retaliatory firings of high school teachers. 4:00...
By CTU Communications | June 8, 2021 | News, Press Release
File under: charter operator, Strike, Urban Prep
CTU and management bargained late into Monday, but remain far apart on issues that include probation, special education needs. 7:30 a.m. TODAY, Tuesday, June 8: socially distanced press conference with educators, parents. Urban Prep Englewood campus, 6201 S. Stewart...
By CTU Communications | June 6, 2021 | News, Press Release
File under: Strike, Urban Prep
Management continues to reject language protecting special education students, classroom needs, student resources in contract negotiations that have dragged on for three years. 7:30 a.m. Monday, June 7: socially distanced press conference with educators, parents....
By Richard Berg | June 4, 2021 | ACTS, News
File under: Aspira, ChiArts: Chicago High School for the Arts, CTPF: Chicago Teachers' Pension Fund, EPIC Academy charter school, Urban Prep, Youth Connections Leadership Academy
Members at Urban Prep voted unanimously to strike unless management comes to the table with a more reasonable offer. CTU pressure pushed ASPIRA to retract non-renewal notices for Union members. Epic Academy terminated four of the most active CTU members on the bargaining team, prompting members to prepare to strike. Youth Connections Leadership Academy has reversed course on closing the school. CTU pushed the General Assembly to close a loophole that allowed ChiArts and other contract schools to skip contributions to the Chicago Teachers Pension Fund.
By Thaddeus Goodchild, CTU Deputy General Counsel | June 4, 2021 | Grievance Wins, News
File under: Contract enforcement, Layoffs, Seniority
Grievance process prevents principals from using vendor “certifications” to carve out positions and lay off veteran teachers.
By Maria Moreno, Financial Secretary | June 4, 2021 | News
File under: Aisha Wade-Bey, CTU Election, Executive Board, Lori Torres, Norma Noriega
At the June 2 House of Delegates meeting, Norma Noriega of Stevenson ES, Lori Torres of Monroe ES and Aisha Wade-Bey of Lawndale CA won seats on the Executive Board as functional vice presidents representing elementary school teachers. Congratulations to them and to all the members who stepped up to run.
By CTU Communications | June 2, 2021 | News, Press Release
File under: Charter, Christopher House
Educators are calling for greater supports for special education students, English language learners, as well as more investments in classroom, safety and family needs rather than bloated administrative costs. CHICAGO, June 2, 2021 — For the second time in a week,...
By Organizing Department | June 2, 2021 | Uncategorized
Join fellow PPC and safety committee members in your region for a crucial discussion to review the year and position ourselves for what’s necessary going into the summer. The “Memorandum of Agreement” (“MOA”) with CPS expires in August. CPS is already calling for a full reopening. Negotiations over what happens next have high stakes: $2 BILLION high, as that’s how much the federal government is providing the district in COVID relief money. We must continue to push CPS to negotiate with our Union, not just over safety issues, but over what a real “recovery” should look like in our schools.
By CTU Communications | June 2, 2021 | News
File under: legislation, Legislative, Springfield
The spring legislative session in Springfield has now ended – and the CTU’s legislative agenda advanced important improvements and protections for CTU members and the students and families we serve. This year had already been a huge success in the legislature – we...
By CTU Communications | June 1, 2021 | News, Press Release
File under: EPIC Academy charter school, Strike
Charter operator fired three key rank-and-file bargaining team members, as workers prepared to ratify first contract to improve supports for special education, classroom resources. 6:30 a.m. Wed., June 2: socially distanced press conference with parents, students,...
By CTU Communications | May 28, 2021 | News, Press Release
File under: charter operator, COVID-19, PPP, Urban Prep
Union also files unfair labor practice charge against management, which has dragged out contract negotiations for three years as boss starves special education, classroom needs. CHICAGO, May 27, 2021 — Rank and file CTU members at three Urban Prep charter schools...
By CTU Speaks! | May 26, 2021 | Uncategorized
File under: ADA: Americans with Disabilities Act, ASL: American Sign Language, Special Education
In this episode of CTU Speaks!, Andrea and Jim talk with Kelsey Cavanaugh, an American Sign Language interpreter for CPS, and Christa Valencia, a middle-school teacher of the deaf. They discuss the many hurdles that deaf students confront at CPS — from getting placed in a school in the first place to the inequities they experience once they get there. They also talk about some potential solutions to these problems going forward.
By CTU Communications | May 26, 2021 | News, Press Release
File under: Association House, charter operator, charter organizing, Christopher House, Intrinsic, YCCS
Two more charters scheduled to vote on joining CTU in coming weeks, as alternative school educators prepare to bargain for living wages and student needs. CHICAGO, May 26, 2021 — Rank and file educators at Association House Alternative High School have voted...
