Teachers' unions are some of the most annoying unions in the country. Over recent years, they have not only advocated against school choice but have also championed efforts to infuse K-12 classrooms with far-leftist ideology.
As with most progressive outfits, members of these unions have engaged in the all-too-common practice of demonizing those who happen to disagree with their views.
Stacy Davis Gates, president of the Chicago Teachers Union, is no exception. During a Sunday radio interview, she made the ridiculous claim that conservatives don’t want black children to learn how to read.
During the interview, she addressed criticisms of the union’s latest contract demands coming from conservatives. But, as usual, she did not address the substance of their arguments. Instead, she told the host, “Remember, these same conservatives are the conservatives who probably would have been championing black codes, you know, during reconstruction or thereafter.”
“So, forgive me again if conservatives pushing back on educating immigrant children, black children, children who live in poverty, doesn’t make my anxiety go up. That’s what they’re supposed to say. That is literally a part of the oath that they take to be right wing.”
Chicago Teachers Union members mock and ridicule heterosexual students in private.
— Frank J. McCormick (@CBHeresy) January 12, 2024
Imagine what it would be like to be even slightly conservative in their classrooms! pic.twitter.com/9kPS7w7zzi
And what, pray tell, is the Chicago Teachers Union demanding? You will be less than shocked to find out it’s a bunch of climate change gobbledygook.
The union’s demands include a number of climate-related provisions including electric school buses, expanded use of heat pumps and solar panels and the creation of “climate champion” positions to organize relevant initiatives and activities. The list could cost upward of $13.9 billion, according to an estimate by the Illinois Policy Institute.
The union also called for the city’s board of education to work with the city to provide more affordable housing units, with priority being given to Chicago Public School families, according to IPI.
The union also wants to establish a “Day of Civic Action” in which union members would “assist” students in voting. We all know which party they are going to support, don’t we?
It also seeks to replace police in schools with a “school safety committee” and a “restorative justice and positive behavior intervention system,” according to Illinois Policy.
Of course, no progressive educational endeavor would be complete without pushing far-leftist ideology on sexuality and gender identity in the classroom, would it?
“The board shall follow the CPS guidelines regarding transgender and gender non-conforming students. The board shall negotiate any adjustments to these guidelines with the union.
“The board will adopt and maintain privacy policies that explicitly assert the confidentiality of information pertaining to students’ sexual orientations and gender identities. No bargaining unit member will be required to reveal a student’s sexual orientation or gender identity without the student’s permission – even to the student’s family.
“The board shall use bargaining unit members’ personal name and pronouns at all times. The board will encourage all staff to use students’ personal name and personal pronouns, specifically distinguishing student preference in the classroom versus when communicating home to families in order to respect students’ privacy. Employees will be encouraged to ask students about how staff should refer to the student when interacting with family members before all events that include family members.
“The PPC shall select a volunteer staff member to serve as Gender Support Coordinator. The Gender Support Coordinator will be given digital space on the website to post contact information, frequently asked questions, and support resources for LGBTQ+ students and families. The Gender Support Coordinator will be given release time to attend relevant professional development. The board shall be an ally to any GSA Coordinator and provide support and protection to members teaching LGBTQ+/intersectionality topics should a member of the school community disagree with the trained educators teaching on these subjects.”
🚨BREAKING: Leaked 142-page list of Chicago Teachers Union demands approved by delegates.
— Illinois Policy (@illinoispolicy) March 8, 2024
Last week, Stacy Davis Gates said it would cost $50 billion.
Some thought it was a joke. But it could cost even more.
Let's dive in. 👀 pic.twitter.com/eUJQ0TXnBw
Of course, none of this has anything to do with academics, a subject that is sorely in need of attention in the Windy City.
Testing results for 2023 showed that about 83 percent of CPS students were not proficient in math, while nearly 75 percent could not read at grade level, according to IPI.
From these demands, we can see that education is taking a backseat to progressive indoctrination. As usual, folks like Davis are deflecting, pretending it is conservatives who don’t want black children to have a decent education.
However, in reality, Davis and her ilk are focused far more on indoctrinating students into far-leftist politics than they are on helping them obtain the skills they need to become productive and successful adults. These people view schools not as educational facilities but as avenues through which they can influence young minds who will later become adult supporters of Marxist policies. Davis’ words are a clear reminder that they are guilty of that of which they accuse their political opponents.
