* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
Just eight of 78 Illinois House Democrats openly sided last week with the once-indomitable Chicago Teachers Union.
The CTU hotly opposed a bill to halt all public school closures and prevent disproportionate budget cuts and changes to admissions criteria at Chicago’s selective-enrollment schools, until a fully elected Chicago school board is seated in 2027. The final roll call was a lopsided 92-8.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, whose popularity has plummeted along with his Statehouse influence, ought to take this as a warning not to follow the CTU’s example. And so should some other Chicago-based organizations.
The floor vote capped increasingly frenetic and bitter attempts to derail the legislation, including the CTU’s legislative director calling the bill “racist” last week, even though it had been amended to change the budget cut language and expand the closure moratorium to all schools — a provision that the teachers union had demanded just last month.
Several House Democratic members said privately they’d received angry and even threatening calls from CTU leaders demanding they abandon their promised support for the bill.
Others said they were upset that the union’s flip-flop was eerily similar to what happened in the Senate last year, when the Democrats bowed to the CTU’s demands and dumped their plan to pass a phased-in elected school board, only to watch the CTU rail against their fully elected school board bill that the union had demanded days before.
I asked Gov. J.B. Pritzker after the vote for his thoughts on the CTU’s labeling the bill as racist.
“That kind of criticism is uncalled for,” he said. “We don’t need that.”
Asked if he thought the tactic had hurt the CTU’s roll call, Pritzker said, “I do. I think that when you take it to that extreme, I think there are people that — you heard some of that discussion on the floor by members — that … some were between offended and outraged by what was said.’’
An in-your-face approach
This was not only a major loss for the CTU, it was also a strike against the increasingly divisive, angry and in-your-face approach that has been prevalent at Chicago’s City Hall, which lefty activists are now trying to bring to Springfield.
Last month, for instance, an organizer for Chicago’s Raise the Floor Alliance laid out a “plan of escalation” in an email that targeted Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, D-Glenview, for her refusal to hold a hearing on a major part of the group’s legislative agenda, “Work Without Fear.”
The plan of escalation started with Gong-Gershowitz being approached by a handful of people the following morning, and then escalated to bringing in more than 100 people to directly confront Gong-Gershowitz after a committee hearing that afternoon.
The organizer also laid out a plan for activists to approach a different legislator “in a significantly friendlier way” to thank her for her support, which seemed to more than just indicate that the action against Gong-Gershowitz was not going to be friendly. The organizer claimed in the email that the bill’s sponsors were on board with the plan, but one aghast sponsor firmly stepped in to stop the group from carrying it out.
Rep. Margaret Croke, D-Chicago, sponsored the selective-enrollment bill. She said she didn’t think the strategies used by activists in the City Council could work at the Statehouse but agreed those actions are increasing in Springfield.
“This is a really close-knit body,” Croke said. Unlike the Chicago City Council, she said, “We basically live together for six months, and people really take these relationships seriously.”
Croke also told me that some of her colleagues approached her on behalf of opponents to ask for changes. And when those changes were made, those same members were approached again by the opponents and pushed for even more changes. Croke said some of her colleagues didn’t appreciate the methods.
The chair of the House Progressive Caucus, Rep. Will Guzzardi, D-Chicago, said during debate that Croke had changed her bill after he requested that the closure moratorium for selective-enrollment schools be expanded to all schools until the board was fully elected, “because that’s what I’ve been fighting for for all these years, that the people who are gonna decide about closing our schools are the people who should be accountable to us, they should be people we voted for.”
Guzzardi continued with a message to Mayor Johnson: “And I feel that way whether the mayor is a person I never met before or is a dear friend of mine who I worked my ass off to get elected, who’s the man sitting in the fifth floor right now.”
Discuss.
…Adding… Stacy Davis Gates told reporters this about the bill…
This is insidious. This is ridiculous. This is vapid. And I think we sent out something that says this is gonna have racial disparate impact, which makes it a racist bill.
A Racial Impact Note was requested by the bill’s opponents, but this is what the note actually said…
Pursuant to 25 ILCS 83/110-10 the State Board of Education does not believe HB 303 as amended would pose a racial impact as it would not change the existing procedures or operations of any attendance center within the district.
Simply asking for a Racial Impact Note is not the same as getting a note which confirms your contention.
…Adding… Fran Spielman asked Stacy Davis Gates how she proposes to fund the CTU’s long list of union contract demands…
Well, you know, that’s an interesting question to pose to a president of a union. That’s a question that we posed to the Governor of Illinois. We have a progressive governor of Illinois who has his sights set on higher office. Wouldn’t it be a wonderful story to tell that he is fully funding the Chicago Public Schools after really a lifetime in Chicago Public Schools always been underfunded?
* Fran then asked how the governor can do that “with all the other budget pressures that he, at the state, is facing?“…
Well, that’s a question for the governor, Fran. That’s not a question for me.
It’s not alone, by any means, but the CTU has historically relied on “magic money” to make its arguments.
If progressives want these great things, then they need to start coming up with do-able revenue sources.
But the question for the CTU’s president is why the union thinks the city’s schools should be fully funded under the evidence-based model before the rest of the state’s schools are.
* Meanwhile, the CTU’s vice president accused the governor of “white-washing”…
Yeah, that’ll work.
…Adding… I just noticed that Senate President Don Harmon is now the chief HB303 sponsor in his chamber. Hmm.
- Wowie - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 11:05 am:
When you don’t truly care about outcomes or being logically consistent - then you don’t care about how awful your tactics are or the people you’re shutting out.
It’s the opposite of progressive, but they get to claim the term.
- vern - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 11:11 am:
Really good column. I think CTU is in a tough spot in Springfield because they’ve reversed their position on some major issues for very transparent reasons. The premise of the elected school board push was to take power away from the Mayor. But now the Mayor is friendly, so they’re frantically trying to throw on the brakes.
I get the power dynamics, but it’s an embarrassing thing for an interest group. If they’re gonna do a 180 degree turn, they should at least be sheepish about it. Unfortunately, CTU apparently only has one speed and it’s not serving them well. Based on their reaction to this column, they’re not making adjustments any time soon: https://twitter.com/jacksonpCTU/status/1781773829121147330
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 11:14 am:
Tactics are something you employ strategically to obtain a goal. This is CTU’s deeply held beliefs. Expect more of the same.
- JJJJJJJJJJ - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 11:18 am:
Guzzardi, Peters, and other practical progressives are able to get things done in Springfield while maintaining principles to the left of moderate democrats. Progressives elsewhere can learn lessons from them.
My most charitable read of the perpetually combative progressives is that they feel so strongly that the status quo is miles away from a just, equitable world. They attribute that reality to anyone previously in power. Many people, especially young people, can understand these frustrations. But, there’s little real point in being radical if you aren’t also being strategic. New Chicago progressives have learned how to win campaigns, but not yet how to govern. I, for one, hope they can continue to do the former as they work out the latter.
- sulla - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 11:18 am:
Wide is the ocean that separates activism and governing.
- TJ - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 11:25 am:
Let me save news folks a bit of time.
“‘Will Johnson learn from this?’ No.”
Basically all that needs to be typed about anything Johnson does.
- 47th Ward - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 11:38 am:
Vapid?
- Juvenal - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 11:39 am:
Can the rhetoric, focus on building political relationships behind the scenes.
The mayor was elected with barely any support from the members of the General Assembly. He needs his own established floor leaders in each chamber. And his legislative affairs team needs to be building personal relationships ships.
He was also largely invisible during the Democratic primaries, and that was a mistake. He could have been hosting fundraisers for incumbents. He could have picked a couple of legislative races to make his mark.
Madigan deferred to Daley and Rahm when it came to statehouse races. If The Mayor wanted somebody elevated to an open seat or relieved of their spot, The Speaker deferred. That has changed, and somehow Johnson needs to re-establish himself using carrots and sticks, or he will be a one-termer.
Hopefully he does not face backlash in the Senate over the Toro race.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 11:44 am:
===Hopefully he does not face backlash in the Senate over the Toro race===
Meh. Standard stuff.
- Who else - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 11:51 am:
What do Ms. Gates and the CTU hope to accomplish? If setting things on fire is the goal and scorched earth is a win, these are excellent tactics to employ. But if winning things that improve education for students and teachers is the goal, CTU is going to need a reset.
They got a pretty good preview last Thursday of any roll call they want to run. That’s 8 yesses. They’re going to need about 52 more to get anything they want on the board.
Do CTU members think this is effective leadership? How long can *everything* really be someone else’s fault?
- New Day - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 11:56 am:
Rich, this was a great column. CTU has one speed - attack and accuse people of being racists. It’s a strategy that backfired badly in this case. It also won’t help them when they need to come back to Springfield to ask for supplemental $$$$ needed for their absurd ask for 9% annual raises. This will not end well.
- Lefty Lefty - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 11:58 am:
Great piece and lots of good points already made about this above. I’ll point out that “the left” includes 11 of the 19 current members of the House Progressive Caucus that voted against the CTU. This is the story, and it’s not that “the left doesn’t know how to govern.” They’re the left too.
40 years of me watching “the left” try to implement effective progressive policies, and this is finally happening on a lot of fronts in Chicago, Illinois, and federally. The (radical? extreme?) left has to be part of the team that governs if additional progressive change is really desired by them. Ihope they don’t ruin the progress.
- 40,000 ft - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 12:08 pm:
When the status quo has been so obviously racially harmful, as seen in CPS proficiency scores, it’s shocking CTU would “play the race card” to prevent attempts to improve the schools.
Every day, I find myself hoping the best for all the kids under the care of these folks. Good news about improved proficiency will come someday.
- Grandson of Man - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 12:21 pm:
State Democrats and Gov. Pritzker have helped turn the state around, have many accomplishments together and are a great example of leadership. It’s much wiser for Mayor Johnson to work and ally with them than any extremist minority. The extremist minority wrecked the ILGOP, don’t go down that road.
- Wowie - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 12:29 pm:
Do many people know about Jackson Potter’s background? He is as wealthy and white as it gets. He is a cosplayer.
- Roadrager - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 12:37 pm:
==The left’s city hall tactics won’t work in Springfield==
I am a pro-union leftist and I remain unconvinced that CTU leadership’s approach will work *in City Hall.*
If I were a CTU member, boy would I ever miss Karen Lewis each and every time Stacy Davis Gates sees it fit to share her thoughts.
There is going to be a strike here because both CTU leadership and their chosen one in the mayor’s office both do not particularly seem to understand what, exactly, it is they do here.
- Just a Citizen - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 12:38 pm:
The CTU would be much better off basing their argument for more money, etc on what they have done to turn the Chicago schools around and achieve better results in the classroom. Ultimately, that is the final measure of the effectiveness of schools and unions.
- Toby - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 12:38 pm:
Let’s start calling the CTU what they really are, sectarian. Membership building relies more on cult tactics than political. I know a lot of GA members who are progressive and left who don’t appreciate that about them. “If you are not with us, you are against us and we will call you names and assassinate you character claiming moral righteousness.”
- levivotedforjudy - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 12:40 pm:
Message to Gates, this is how to NOT get your agenda advanced. Crying racism at every turn (and directed at your biggest allies). Getting what you asked for and then changing your mind. Being coy and poking the governor - a true progressive. Asking for funding that just does not exist with no ideas how to get it (she should read an excerpt from Don Haarmon’s remarks to the IL Chamber). I hope Gates heeds Guzzardi’s advice. But she may turn on him too. It will be interesting to see how much and how long my mayor stays in lock-step with his (former?) employer.
- One Time - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 12:40 pm:
The left made a mistake in giving so much ownership to CTU. Springfield and politics is all about relationship building, especially when you are the one with power. It is something JBP and his team understand very well.
People excuse the bully tactics when you are the underdog. You need new strategies when you are the one in the driver’s seat.
- Frida's boss - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 12:40 pm:
CTU cares only about their contract. Wouldn’t that be a great story- crying how teachers can’t afford to live in the city while she sends her kid to private school.
She lied to Fran Spielman and stated they were asking for a 9% yearly raise or CPI whichever was less is what she said on air. When you look at the contract 9% is the floor, the yearly raise will be 9% or CPI whichever is higher.
Hey Jackson Potter want to talk about white-washing, the biggest white wash ever, your mother white woman received $4 million payout from the lawsuit filed by black female teachers. Who each only received $12k each.
- Odysseus - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 12:49 pm:
“My most charitable read of the perpetually combative progressives is that they feel so strongly that the status quo is miles away from a just, equitable world.”
That conclusion is obviously true.
“But, there’s little real point in being radical if you aren’t also being strategic.”
Agreed.
- Demoralized - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 12:56 pm:
When all else fails you cry racism.
I’m not sure why they think they can simply bully everyone into giving them what they want. If I were an elected official and they pulled that crap with me I wouldn’t give them the time of day and I would be far more inclined to oppose anything they were advocating for.
- Just Me 2 - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 1:07 pm:
=== Chicago Public Schools always been underfunded? ===
There is no amount of money the CTU will consider fully funding CPS.
Related - the wish list for Chicago for more funding gets longer every day. CTU needs to get in line.
- LastModDemStanding - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 1:11 pm:
I am personally enjoying the 10 foot pole view of watching the current CORE leadership of CTU, Mayor, and aligned leftist grifters exposure as such by the adults in the room. The magic money dries up at some point, and when folks who are usually apolitical begin to pay attention, they will have an [electoral] problem.
Hopefully this exposure continues, and by 2027, we can elect a professional to the 5th floor to run the city of Chicago.
- Duck Duck Goose - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 1:16 pm:
=CTU cares only about their contract=
To be fair, that’s all it’s supposed to care about. It’s a union, an entity statutorily created to bargain on behalf of its members on matters of hours, wages, and conditions of employment. Its only fiduciary duty is to its members–not to the students, not to the taxpayers, not to the public. The CTU is not a policy think-tank or public-interest association. It’s there to get its members the best possible contract. Everything else is smokescreen.
- JoeMaddon - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 1:17 pm:
**When the status quo has been so obviously racially harmful, as seen in CPS proficiency scores, it’s shocking CTU would “play the race card” to prevent attempts to improve the schools.**
To be fair… this bill 100% protects the status quo. CTU/CPS wants to change how things work, not protect the status quo here.
- supplied_demand - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 1:21 pm:
==by 2027, we can elect a professional to the 5th floor to run the city of Chicago. ==
Need to find one who will run, first.
- 40,000 ft - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 1:31 pm:
“…fully funding the Chicago Public Schools after really a lifetime in Chicago Public Schools always been underfunded…”
Did any property tax payer find this comment odd?
Illinois school districts, including the CPS, fund schools on a per pupil basis at rates seen very sparingly in the rest of the country.
But more money is needed to improve outcomes? mmm. No.
It’s obvious that it’s not the money or funding.
If it was the funding, the outcomes would be better than most districts in this country, even in the world.
Let’s figure this out, and soon, for the sake of another generation of kids coming out of CPS.
- JS Mill - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 1:35 pm:
When you don’t have facts or data on your side…call people names.
=Well, that’s a question for the governor, Fran. That’s not a question for me.=
Said every toddler when they were told a pony was too expensive.
Math is not on the side of CTU. They receive a disproportionate share of state funding and it is even more disproportionate when you view the funding in light of the massive resources that are available to Chicago. The city could raise property taxes to generate additional revenue. Funding is as much the cities responsibility as it is the states if not more so. CTU just wants more from the bigger piggy bank. Go lobby for an +Education Fund Referendum like the rest of us have to do if you need more revenue. But then they would have to face the wrath of city voters and they don’t want that. The want the pony without having to do their chores and save some money.
- City Zen - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 1:37 pm:
I can’t help but read SDG’s comment in Jackie Chile’s voice.
- ArchPundit - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 1:46 pm:
CTU: We absolutely must have this
Senate: Here you go.
CTU: But you didn’t give us this…
Senate: Bite me, make the ask and stick to it.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 1:52 pm:
===this bill 100% protects the status quo===
It’s essentially an attempt at a hold harmless. Much the same thing happens every time funding mechanisms change, including with EBF.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 1:54 pm:
===If it was the funding, the outcomes would be better than most districts ===
Most districts in this state do not have such high levels of students living in poverty.
- low level - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 1:55 pm:
CTU, w that attitude you will get absolutely nothing. No wonder you keep failing.
- Old IL Dude - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 1:56 pm:
==There is going to be a strike here because both CTU leadership and their chosen one in the mayor’s office both do not particularly seem to understand what, exactly, it is they do here.==
Cool. Let ‘em strike. Archdiocese schools are producing better results, and maybe more kids can go and get an education. Or parents can move to a suburban district that produces better results.
- low level - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 2:16 pm:
Croke’s bill was so racist, even Speaker Welch co sponsored and voted for it. Because he is really known for supporting racist legislation, right? / s.
That is how ridiculous Gates’ position is
- Google Is Your Friend - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 2:26 pm:
Re: Harmon
The Speaker pre-files for all President shell bills and vice versa. Could mean nothing.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 2:31 pm:
===Re: Harmon===
Yes, I know, but I was also told by the sponsor last week that Sen. Feigenholtz had pre-filed.
It would help if the ILGA website showed pre-filings.
- Steve - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 3:00 pm:
Comrade Gates will yell racism until she gets what she wants for her members. Sure, it rubs a lot of people the wrong way but you can’t say CTU hasn’t been around a long time.
- Learning - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 3:18 pm:
If this combative and divisive approach is successful, they’ll keep using it.
- ChrisB - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 3:48 pm:
==Archdiocese schools are producing better results, and maybe more kids can go and get an education.==
Pretty sure Ms. Gates knows this firsthand.
- Just Me 2 - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 3:59 pm:
=== It would help if the ILGA website showed pre-filings. ===
Agreed. Also, my memory is that pre-fillings are written documents. Aren’t those FOIA’able?
- JS Mill - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 4:10 pm:
=Most districts in this state do not have such high levels of students living in poverty.=
Fair enough, but our rural district gets less than 20% from state and federal sources and our tax rate is double what they pay in Chicago. Our poverty rate is north of 40% and anything over 25% is significant.
I get that they have special needs students, high poverty, and many different languages. But even accounting for that, they still are overly well funded by the state. If CTU wants money for their members they need to run a referendum or at least look locally instead of always looking at the state kitty.
- TNR - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 4:10 pm:
Vapid definition: lacking flavor, zest, interest, animation, or spirit: flat, dull.
If SDG truly believes the bill is vapid, she shouldn’t be freaking out.
The General Assembly just gave CTU everything they wanted with the elected school board bill. With that win in their pocket, you’d think they’d let their legislative supporters (like Croke) throw a little red meat to their constituents who are upset about potential changes to selective enrollment schools, particularly with
with a “vapid” bill — which by definition means it doesn’t do much.
Of course, that’s not the CTU’s style. Everything is a war. You’re either 100 percent for them, or you’re against them.
@Toby really nailed it, they are a sectarian organization.
- Tomas Revollo - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 4:45 pm:
My real issue is that the Legislature voted not to have a fully elected school board in November. They created this issue. Now they want to usurp the responsibilities of the school board via laws. Will the Legislature jump in every time they disagree with other school boards across Illinois?
- Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 5:16 pm:
===They created this issue.===
Only at the request of the Mayor, CTU and CPS.