The Chicago Teachers Union has begun contract negotiations with a list of demands that prioritize union interests over student needs. Despite high costs and poor outcomes in Chicago Public Schools, the union is pushing for social initiatives, increased pay, and reduced performance standards. The union’s demands include policies that will worsen the city’s youth violence problem, as well as calls for costly changes like turning unused school facilities into migrant housing. With an ally in the mayor’s office due to past support, the union is prepared to strike if their demands are not met. This leaves families in a difficult situation, as they must choose between a failing public school system or no school at all. It serves as a warning to other cities about the power of teacher unions in education.
