Chicago Teachers Union officials issued a series of aggressive new contract demands which will drastically hike teacher pay in the failing urban school system, as well as provide funds for abortions and lump-sum payments for students who are in the country illegally.
The extensive list of demands, which were recently leaked to the Illinois Policy Institute and exposed in a series of articles by the conservative think tank, includes various progressive policy goals alongside increased benefits and payouts for teachers. The contract would raise average salaries from $93,000 to over $144,000 in the next four years, increase the annual number of days off to forty-five, and provide nine additional or expanded types of leave.
Beyond those benefits, teachers could receive financial benefits when buying new homes, compensated absences for “verbal assault” that include incidents occurring away from school and on social media, teacher autonomy over curriculum, and less strict teacher evaluations.
The proposals come even as the Chicago Public Schools budget has increased 55% and enrollment has fallen 21% between fiscal year 2010 and fiscal year 2023, according to an analysis from the Illinois Policy Institute. The proficiency rates for reading have fallen from 65% to 20% over the same period, while proficiency rates for math have fallen from 75% to 15%.
The contract demands from the Chicago Teachers Union also include complete coverage for in-vitro fertilization and abortion, in addition to payments for travel to other states for abortions and “gender affirming healthcare coverage” for teachers and their dependents.
In order to assist “newcomer students” who are in the country illegally, the contract calls for $2,000 payments to support transportation, academic aid, and “mental health services.” The demands also request rental assistance for homeless students. The contract would meanwhile implement climate policies, such as an entirely electric bus fleet and carbon neutrality within the next decade, as well as the removal of police from schools but requirements for security guards.
Researchers at the Illinois Policy Institute noted that Chicago Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson previously worked for the Chicago Teachers Union, which paid him more than $75,000 in the fiscal year that corresponded with his run for office. Johnson was endorsed by the Chicago Teachers Union and could influence contract negotiations with the organization.
