Driving the news: CTU President Stacy Davis Gates told WTTW News on Tuesday she is ready to gather petition signatures for Mayor Johnson's re-election. 'If he's not going to pass one, I'll pass one for him,' she said.
By the numbers: - The CTU funneled $2.6 million directly into Johnson's 2023 campaign, according to the Illinois Policy Institute. - Teachers unions collectively contributed over $6 million to that race. - Johnson has overseen a 21-member hybrid school board — a long-held CTU policy objective enacted under 2021 state legislation.
Between the lines: Johnson is a former CTU organizer and legislative coordinator. The union endorsed him in 2023. He beat incumbent Lori Lightfoot in the primary, then defeated former CPS CEO Paul Vallas in the runoff.
Davis Gates credits Johnson with delivering 'a billion dollars' to Chicago Public Schools. Critics point to declining academic performance across CPS. Johnson has denied being beholden to the union, telling ABC 7 in 2023 his platform reflects values 'the people of Chicago obviously want.'
The bottom line: When a union spends $2.6 million to elect a mayor, then pledges to run his re-election petitions, the line between city hall and the bargaining table disappears. Chicago taxpayers deserve to ask: who is Johnson actually working for? The answer, Davis Gates just made clear, is not a mystery.