Leaked Chicago Teachers Union memo demands abortion coverage and ‘queer competent’ staff

The Chicago Teachers Union is making a slew of radical demands to Mayor Brandon Johnson, a leaked memo revealed.

The documents, obtained by the Illinois Policy Institute, detail a variety of left-wing propositions the union will likely demand when its current contract expires on June 30.

Illinois Policy posted seven pages of demands on social media.  

It reveals the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) is trying to increase teacher pay and benefits, even beyond inflation rates. 

CTU is also trying to lessen teacher accountability by undermining the evaluation system, REACH, and not allowing teacher ratings to be factored in layoff decisions.  

The teachers’ union specifically blamed “right-wing forces” for “push[ing] the false idea that teachers are to blame for all that’s wrong in schools.”  

Another pages reveals requests to “codify more gender inclusive language” and to have more “queer competent” school staff.  

When discussing parental leave policies, it refers to “birthing and non-birthing parents,” as well as advocating for abortion coverage. 

In its healthcare section, CTU makes other demands, such as expanding access to bariatric surgery and weight loss drugs, and removing copays for mental health services.  

CTU also wants its members to pay for a “pool of resources” to address “racial healthcare disparities.” 

The union also wants financial housing assistance for its members and to help the city “identify unused city space to be turned into public housing for students and families.” 

Even though the Chicago school board of social justice warriors just voted to get rid of school resource officers (SROs) – a plan which CTU approved – the union is now complaining of increased violence and saying schools don’t have “adequate safety measures.”  

Its proposed solution is hiring “Restorative Justice coordinators.”  

Last, but not least, CTU continues to oppose charter schools, under the guise of accountability. 

Unlike traditional public schools, charters can eschew union influence, which the CTU naturally finds intolerable, according to critics. 

Thus it demands Chicago Public Schools “commit to union neutrality in ALL Chicago schools” and that there be stronger “anti-retaliation language for union activism in CPS.” 

Even former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot warned of CTU’s political influence, before she fell victim to it. 

“Anybody who believes this teachers’ union is merely a union hasn’t been paying attention,” Lightfoot said in January of 2022. “They believe themselves to be a political movement or political party and that is the lens through which we have to view every one of their actions.”   

In 2023, Lightfoot lost her re-election bid, making her the first Chicago mayor in 40 years to do so.  

CTU took credit for orchestrating Lightfoot’s downfall and replacing her with their own candidate, long-time Chicago union organizer Brandon Johnson.  

Records show that Johnson stayed on the union payroll during the entirety of his campaign.