#Teachers union wins big in Chicago mayor’s race

Brandon Johnson secured the Chicago mayor’s office on Tuesday, a big win for the city’s teacher union, which backed the progressive against his more centrist opponent. 

The Democrat vs. Democrat runoff election was dominated by crime issues rather than schools, but Johnson is a former teacher and organizer for the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), giving him experience in education — though also prompting criticism that he may have too close of a relationship with the CTU. 

“Today, Chicago has spoken,” CTU President Stacy Davis Gates said. “Chicago has said yes to hope; yes to investment in people; yes to housing the unhoused; and yes to supporting young people with fully-funded schools. It is a new day in our city.”

On his campaign website, Johnson laid out a “12 points to education justice” plan that tackles mental health and funding of the massive Chicago Public Schools (CPS) system, which, starting next year, will be partially controlled by an elected school board. 

One of the big policies Johnson ran on was changing the current student-based budgeting that he believes has devastated CPS to a need-based system.

He wants to make it so schools are fully funded regardless of how many students are enrolled and doesn’t believe in closing schools that have an under-enrollment problem. 

“Smaller schools can serve as the perfect incubators for the Sustainable Community School model, as well as pilot programs in mentoring, community outreach and partnerships to provide additional support for families and students,” his website says.

His staunch stance on school enrollment comes at a time when a moratorium on closing schools is about to end — and CPS has seen a drop in student enrollment. 

The mayor-elect also wants to make schools more environmentally friendly, make public transit free for CPS students and enhance the pipeline for students to get a career and technical education. 

Johnson’s approach to education is very different from what his opponent, Paul Vallas, had in mind for the system, which included more charter schools and putting police in schools to deter shootings. 

Johnson’s victory is seen as a major win for progressives, especially the multiple teachers’ unions that endorsed him. 

Public records show the CTU gave Johnson between $83,000 and $103,000 a year, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. 

Along with money, the CTU said it “organized hundreds of volunteers to make phone calls, send text messages, and knock on over half-a-million doors” after endorsing Johnson. 

The CTU is very active in local politics and has courted controversy before, including getting pushback during the COVID-19 pandemic when teachers refused to go back to the classrooms while other schools were opening for in-person learning. 

Johnson’s closeness with the CTU raised concerns by critics, though has pledged to no longer be a member of it when he is inaugurated on May 15.

“He’s going to do what the union wants to be done,” Gery Chico, the head of Chicago’s school board when Vallas was CEO of Chicago Public Schools, told The New York Times.

In response to a question about where he and the union might disagree, Johnson told the New York outlet he will have to have “hard conversations” with “old friends.”

“My responsibility is to the entire city of Chicago” if elected mayor, Johnson told the Times. “And look, I’m getting new friends every single day. And I have a bunch of old friends that we will have to have hard conversations with.”

A big test with the union is fast approaching: Contract negotiations between the city and CTU will have to begin soon as the current contract is up in 2024. 

“Make no mistake about it,” Johnson said during his victory speech Tuesday night, “Chicago is a union town,” adding that “schools have the resources to meet the needs of every child.”

At the same time, Johnson is facing a new era where the mayor will soon have far less control over the CPS. 

In 2024, a 21-person school board will take control of CPS, with 11 individuals appointed by the mayor and 10 elected by the people. In 2026, the people will vote to replace the 11 appointed by the mayor so the school board controlling the CPS will be fully elected by 2027.