More than 100 teachers left struggling students, cost taxpayers as much as $19,300 for Chicago Teachers Union “lobby day.”
The Chicago Teachers Union urged teachers to leave their classrooms and go to Springfield to lobby state lawmakers for more funding, which forced taxpayers to spend between $12,500 and $19,300 on substitute teachers.
Besides the cost, CTU’s move also hurt learning for Chicago’s struggling students.
Over 100 Chicago Public Schools teachers left their students to lobby at the Statehouse Oct. 30. They were paid for their time, which was counted as personal time off.
CPS also had to pay for over 100 substitute teachers. That cost between $12,500 and $19,300, depending on which type of substitutes the district used to keep classrooms running. Substitutes are paid between $125 and $193 per day, depending on the type of license they possess.
But the true cost is what teacher absences mean to students.
Teacher absences are a leading indicator of student achievement. And CPS already has a poor track record. Last year, 43% of CPS teachers missed 10 or more days in the previous school year.
Just 2-in-5 Chicago students read at grade level. They could have benefitted from a normal day of instruction.
CTU chose a political agenda and personal gain above students. Each time it takes teachers out of the classroom to lobby, the costly burden impacts both students’ futures and taxpayers’ pockets.
