CTU throws money into swirling political winds
By Jim Vail
The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) continues to fund an alderman who was caught running a racist campaign and gave $150,000 to a Cook County commissioner candidate.
The CTU provided delegates with its end of the year report on how much money was allocated to different politicians throughout the school year at the June House of Delegates (HOD) meeting.
The union gave $1,000 to Ald. Michael Zalewski who is running for state representative. Second City Teachers first wrote about the CTU's endorsement of this alderman in 2015 when the Sun Times noted that he sent out a flyer that race-baited his opponent by tying her support of Section 8 Housing that "would allow criminals to move in next door."
I wrote at the time that the CTU prides itself on fighting racism - focusing on supporting black candidates for office, promoting restorative justice so that minority students are not automatically suspended as punishment and filing a lawsuit for African-American teachers who lost their jobs from school closings, calling it a racist attack because the closings affected many black schools where black teachers and administrators work.
The union has boasted about its many wins this past spring in the Democratic primary in which a few former teachers, and one union employee, won their elections. However, the union has come under fire recently for over spending, including a $1 million loan the union made to the Political Action Committee (PAC) at a time when the union was forced to cut almost $3 million in the budget that included, according to unknown sources, cutting 2 field representative positions and other union jobs.
The CTU was quiet at the June HOD meeting about what exact cuts were made. The union did state it would not make any cuts that would affect the members' services.
One delegate asked what exactly the union will get out of its overly generous spending to get union organizer and former teacher Brandon Johnson elected in the Democratic primary to the Cook County Board of Commissioners. Unlike the state legislature that oversees the district's schools, and the alderman who can vote to fund the schools properly, the Cook County, aside from collecting taxes, does not play a direct role.
The union gave $150,000 to Johnson for his position on the Cook County Board. The next highest recipient of union cash was Chicago Democratic Machine candidate Kwame Raoul for attorney general at about $58,000, followed by Aaron Ortiz, a counselor for Back of the Yards High School - where CTU coordinator Jackson Potter will be going to teach next year - who received $40,000 to help upset Dan Burke - brother of long-time powerful Ald. Ed Burke - in the Democratic primary for state representative.
The Democratic Party and Ald. Sue Garza - who wasn't running - both got $20,000 from the CTU while United Working Families - a political action committee for the teachers union - got $37,000.
The PAC gave $25,000 to Lamont Robinson who defeated Ken Durkin - who voted with Rep. Gov. Bruce Rauner - for state rep, $25,000 to Ram Villivalam, who defeated Ira Silverstein (in trouble with the MeToo Movement for sex harassment charges) for state rep and $25,000 to Robert Martwick who defeated a Chicago cop backed by Republican cash, also for state rep.
The LEAD dinner which the teachers union hosts every year in the fall and sees top democratic politicians mix and dine earned $41,000 but spent $65,000, a loss of about $25,000.
Well, it ain't only about the money, right?
By Jim Vail
 |
| State rep candidate Mike Zalewski still gets CTU cash. |
The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) continues to fund an alderman who was caught running a racist campaign and gave $150,000 to a Cook County commissioner candidate.
The CTU provided delegates with its end of the year report on how much money was allocated to different politicians throughout the school year at the June House of Delegates (HOD) meeting.
The union gave $1,000 to Ald. Michael Zalewski who is running for state representative. Second City Teachers first wrote about the CTU's endorsement of this alderman in 2015 when the Sun Times noted that he sent out a flyer that race-baited his opponent by tying her support of Section 8 Housing that "would allow criminals to move in next door."
I wrote at the time that the CTU prides itself on fighting racism - focusing on supporting black candidates for office, promoting restorative justice so that minority students are not automatically suspended as punishment and filing a lawsuit for African-American teachers who lost their jobs from school closings, calling it a racist attack because the closings affected many black schools where black teachers and administrators work.
The union has boasted about its many wins this past spring in the Democratic primary in which a few former teachers, and one union employee, won their elections. However, the union has come under fire recently for over spending, including a $1 million loan the union made to the Political Action Committee (PAC) at a time when the union was forced to cut almost $3 million in the budget that included, according to unknown sources, cutting 2 field representative positions and other union jobs.
The CTU was quiet at the June HOD meeting about what exact cuts were made. The union did state it would not make any cuts that would affect the members' services.
 |
| Cook County Commissioner candidate Brandon Johnson got $150,000 from CTU. |
One delegate asked what exactly the union will get out of its overly generous spending to get union organizer and former teacher Brandon Johnson elected in the Democratic primary to the Cook County Board of Commissioners. Unlike the state legislature that oversees the district's schools, and the alderman who can vote to fund the schools properly, the Cook County, aside from collecting taxes, does not play a direct role.
The union gave $150,000 to Johnson for his position on the Cook County Board. The next highest recipient of union cash was Chicago Democratic Machine candidate Kwame Raoul for attorney general at about $58,000, followed by Aaron Ortiz, a counselor for Back of the Yards High School - where CTU coordinator Jackson Potter will be going to teach next year - who received $40,000 to help upset Dan Burke - brother of long-time powerful Ald. Ed Burke - in the Democratic primary for state representative.
 |
| State Rep. candidate Aaron Ortiz got $40,000 from CTU. |
The Democratic Party and Ald. Sue Garza - who wasn't running - both got $20,000 from the CTU while United Working Families - a political action committee for the teachers union - got $37,000.
The PAC gave $25,000 to Lamont Robinson who defeated Ken Durkin - who voted with Rep. Gov. Bruce Rauner - for state rep, $25,000 to Ram Villivalam, who defeated Ira Silverstein (in trouble with the MeToo Movement for sex harassment charges) for state rep and $25,000 to Robert Martwick who defeated a Chicago cop backed by Republican cash, also for state rep.
 |
| Attorney General candidate Kwame Raoul got $58,000 from CTU. |
The LEAD dinner which the teachers union hosts every year in the fall and sees top democratic politicians mix and dine earned $41,000 but spent $65,000, a loss of about $25,000.
Well, it ain't only about the money, right?
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