Critique of Chicago Teachers Union’s Focus on Social Justice Amid Academic Struggles
The Washington Post has sharply criticized the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) for its focus on social justice initiatives while student proficiency in reading and math continues to decline.
In a recent editorial, the Post targeted CTU’s New Year’s resolutions shared on social media, which claimed to “speak truth to power” and pledged to “defend Black and brown and immigrant communities targeted by federal agents” while opposing efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and reduce civil rights protections.
“These are ambitious goals for a school district that struggles to instruct children effectively,” the Post remarked, noting that in 2025, just 43 percent of Chicago’s third- through eighth-graders were reading at grade level, and only 27 percent were proficient in math. These issues seem to persist, affecting students all the way through high school; only 40 percent of 11th graders scored proficiently in reading on the ACT, and 25 percent in math.
The editorial board expressed skepticism regarding the union leaders’ genuine concern for student welfare, pointing to their neglect of crucial issues like inadequate test scores and worsening academic standards.
It also highlighted changes made last summer to Illinois’ proficiency standards for reading and math scores. The district’s ongoing struggle with “chronic absenteeism” was noted as a significant barrier to effective teaching, emphasizing that “effective instruction begins with attendance.”
For the fourth consecutive year, the rate of chronic student absenteeism hovers near 40%, which is roughly 16 percentage points higher than in 2019. Additionally, about 43 percent of teachers missed ten or more days of school, compared to 34 percent statewide. The board indicated that teacher absenteeism is a major predictor of student achievement.
The Post remarked that under CTU President Stacey Davis Gates, the district’s troubling academic performance is hardly unexpected, suggesting that “failure seems to be the golden rule of this union.” The newspaper warned that Gates’ role as the leader of the Illinois Federation of Teachers could allow for widespread dissemination of radical policies throughout the state.
The editorial made further assertions about Gates’ history of resisting mandatory union audits and her controversial views on standardized testing, labeling it “junk science rooted in white supremacy,” which reflects an aversion to responsibility and a lack of commitment to excellence.
In conclusion, the editorial board suggested that if CTU genuinely wanted to combat injustice, it should prioritize foundational education. The newspaper pointed out that Black students in third through eighth grades perform significantly lower in reading comprehension—33 percent behind their white peers—while low-income students’ performance lags 32 percent behind others. Meanwhile, the union is reportedly under investigation for failing to conduct annual audits of its spending over the past five years.
The Chicago Teachers Union has not yet offered a response to inquiries regarding these criticisms.
