Chicago Teachers Union members were encouraged to skip class to lobby state lawmakers during the veto session. Politics over student learning, at taxpayers’ expense.
The Chicago Teachers Union urged members to use a “release day” to leave their classrooms and lobby state lawmakers for more funding.
Teachers participated in this day of action during regular school hours at taxpayer expense. Chicago Public Schools had to pay substitutes, and children were left without their regular teachers.
CTU members already miss a significant number of days. With member attendance in schools at its lowest point in 10 years, CTU member attendance is 10% lower than the rest of the state.
In a school district where fewer than 2-in-5 students read at grade level, 40.1% of students are chronically absent and enrollment has declined by 9,000 students, unions should not be pulling teachers out of classrooms as part of their quest to become a controlling political party in Chicago.
CTU just filed its annual report with the U.S. Department of Labor detailing its receipts and disbursements from the 2025 fiscal year that ended June 30. It shows:
- CTU doubled its political spending in 2025, reaching a new high.
- Less than 18% of CTU’s spending was on representing teachers – what should be its core focus.
- Union president Stacy Davis Gates gave herself a raise, bringing her total compensation to more than $273,000.
- Questionable spending included over $173,000 for a “recording studio” with a swimming pool in New Mexico.
With CTU members spending nearly $1,500 a year for union dues, it’s clear they get very little in return for their investment.
CTU may want to take a step back from its relentless political pursuits. According to a 2025 poll, 60% of Chicago voters have an unfavorable view of the union.
That is a big change from 2023, when the union bankrolled their lobbyist and got voters to put him in the Chicago mayor’s office. Now, more than 57% are less likely to vote for a candidate if they accept campaign contributions from CTU.
Chicago educators who want more control over their dues and fewer union boss shenanigans have options:
- Teachers can get liability insurance and legal protection elsewhere, often at a fraction of the price of union membership. Educators can join other associations, such as the Association of American Educators or the Teacher Freedom Alliance. The alliance is donor funded and free to teachers.
- Teachers can opt out of union membership and keep all employer-provided benefits. By opting out of union membership, a teacher stops paying dues to the union yet retains all benefits that are provided in the collective bargaining agreement with the school district.
CTU only provides an annual window in August each year during which members can opt out and cease paying dues. But teachers interested in opting out can visit LeaveCTU.com for more information and to sign up for a reminder to opt out when August 2026 approaches.
