We need recovery now, not more budget cuts!
Mayor Lightfoot wants to cut tens of millions of dollars from our schools, while at the same time, is sitting on hundreds of millions of dollars in unspent federal recovery funds. On Friday, May 13, we sent the mayor and her Chicago Public Schools team a clear...It takes a village to raise a good teacher
Teaching is hard, especially in the first few years. New teachers need guidance and support — not many can make it through on their own. It takes a village to raise a good teacher and the We Care early educator mentoring program is that village.
COVID spiking again – and we still have safety rights
A message to rank and file members from CTU Chief of Staff Jen Johnson with safety links and toolkits as COVID surges again in Chicago: These last two years have been exhausting, but as good as it’s felt to see some glimpses of “normal” return to our lives, COVID-19...FAQ: Paid COVID Administrative Leave
HB 1167, the bill to create paid COVID administrative leave for educators, became law with Governor JB Pritzker’s signature on April 5, 2022. This ‘frequently asked questions’ document is designed to help determine who is eligible, for what reasons, and how to benefit...
Resolution in Support of Reproductive Rights
This resolution was brought from the floor and adopted by the CTU House of Delegates at its May 4, 2022, meeting.
Resolution: Opposition to New State Testing Regime
This resolution was adopted by the CTU House of Delegates at its May 4, 2022 meeting.
Resolution Against the CPS Budget Cuts
This resolution was adopted at the May 4, 2022 House of Delegates meeting.
Making up lost instructional days
Dear CTU family: As you may know, we’ve been pressing CPS for months about their promised – but not yet delivered – opportunity to make up for lost instructional days during the mayor’s January lockout. The board of education did not add extra days to the calendar,...Mayor must reverse school cuts and invest COVID funds in students needs and recovery
Lightfoot’s CPS team has $1.4 billion in unspent federal COVID relief funds, but is imposing massive cuts on schools in special education, trauma supports, other critical needs, creating larger class sizes, fewer supports and hunger games of disinvestment and neglect....Zapata joins public schools across city in rejecting devastating CPS budget cuts
CPS hoarding $1.4 billion in federal COVID relief dollars, low-balling scope of budget cuts, which will result in split classrooms, bigger classes, less resources for students who need more social emotional support. 7:00 a.m. Tuesday, April 26: press conference with...
ACT NOW to defend and protect our technology coordinators
Technology coordinators shined during remote learning. In fact, our schools would not have survived the pandemic without them. But now CPS is considering outsourcing these jobs — and we know what that means. Our union is committed to defending and protecting our tech...Save Our Technology Coordinators!
Our technology coordinators are under attack, when our students and schools need them now more than ever. Tell CEO Martinez and Board President del Valle to protect our tech cos and ensure that every school has a technology coordinator.
In historic organizing drive, ChiArts teaching artists seek to join CTU
Stagnant wages, lack of job security or basic rights fuel push by artists – from voice teachers to video instructors – to join union with full-time educators. CHICAGO, April 20, 2022 — Since full-time teachers and paraprofessionals at ChiArts – the Chicago High School...Lawsuit by candidates seeking union office would delay CTU elections, undermine internal union democracy
The Chicago Teachers Union is asking a Cook County judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed against CTU that seeks to stall upcoming elections for Union officers and delegates, which are scheduled for May 20. The Union argues that the plaintiffs’ lawsuit amounts to an attack...
PSRP Corner: Defending our Tech Cos
Technology Coordinators — tech cos — have always provided essential services to our school communities, but during the pandemic their roles were even more essential. But CPS is considering outsourcing these vital positions, prompting our union to fight back.
More legislative wins as Springfield nears end of legislative session
CTU Legislative and Policy Director Kurt Hilgendorf emailed this legislative update to rank and file CTU members on Friday, April 8, 2022. We are down to the wire in Springfield, where the legislature is expected to finish this session’s work by midnight... Resolution to Support CTU Technology Coordinators
This resolution calling for a campaign in defense of Technology Coordinators was adopted by the April 6, 2022 House of Delegates meeting.
90% cut in lapsed educator license fee, 20% cut in PD requirement for renewal cycle
CTU Legislative and Policy Director Kurt Hilgendorf sent this legislative update to rank and file CTU members on Thursday, April 7, 2022. As you may know, the legislative session is set to end in Springfield on Friday, and we continue to move our bills through the...School budgets must support the right to recovery
CPS is proposing more than 200 schools receive budget cuts for the 2022 school year of more than $42 million, at a time when the district is sitting on billions in federal stimulus money. That’s just half a percentage point of the annual operating budget, or just 1.5 percent of the total $2.6 billion plus in federal COVID relief CPS has received since 2020.
COVID sick pay for members is now law
CTU President Jesse Sharkey sent this eblast to members announcing the signing of HB 1167 today by Governor Pritzker Wednesday morning. Late this morning, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed HB 1167 into law, formally establishing COVID administrative leave for...
A world in crisis: teaching about Ukraine
Jackson Potter recently asked students in his Global Politics classes to respond to a new Freedom House study that found just one in five people now live in countries designated as “free.” The context of the students’ responses were firmly embedded in their concerns around Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which is unfolding before their eyes on television and social media.
New Springfield wins: ‘Too young to test’, more retiree sub days
Legislative update to rank and file CTU members, Saturday, April 2, 2022: On Friday, we shared the news about the COVID sick days bill. With just one more week in the legislative session, both houses are ramping up their work, and two more of our bills passed the...PSRP Corner: On the front lines in our school communities
The Internet and the news are awash with stories of how young people are dealing with the stress and anxiety of the pandemic. Educators are reporting more discipline problems, students acting out and even engaging in self harm. And the PSRPs in our school are on the frontlines dealing with these crises.
Apply for the 2022 Summer Organizing Institute today!
Applications are being accepted for the CTU’s Summer Organizing Institute. Take a leading role in the campaign to promote our members’ rights and fight for educational justice! This year’s institute will provide training in organizing skills, leadership and union and community education issues.
