Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates’ journey to fulfill Pope Leo XIV attracts combined response

CHICAGO (WLS) — The Chicago Teachers Union president has been by the mayor’s facet from the night time he was elected, and the journey to the Vatican is not any completely different.

Some are calling Stacy Davis Gates’ journey to fulfill Pope Leo XIV hypocritical.

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There was a current Chicago Teachers Union-led protest to avoid wasting ChiArts School previous to the month-to-month faculty board assembly. And through the remaining days of Springfield’s spring session, CTU members continued to struggle for extra state funding. But, the union’s chief was not at Chicago Public Schools nor Springfield Thursday. She was 5,000 miles away, assembly Pope Leo.

“It seems like bad timing, and it seems hypocritical. It was just two weeks ago that Stacey Davis Gates was in front of the Chicago school board saying this is a five-alarm fire and we need water from Springfield. So you guys need to go down to Springfield,” Chicago Policy Center Executive Director Austin Berg stated.

Davis Gates is a part of a delegation that not solely contains the mayor and a few of his high aides, however over 40 different individuals. On behalf of her members, Davis Gates gifted the pope a strike pin.

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“I think members are proud of her and proud of the message and lessons that she brings back from the pope for the people of this city, especially for union members,” CTU Recording Secretary Vicki Kurzydlo stated.

Kurzydlo defended Davis Gates’ journey to Vatican City. She argues the pope shares most of the similar values because the union.

“Our pope is leading with a moral voice. He’s called for investment in people, not war. Our pope has called for, he’s called to honor workers over billionaires,” Kurzydlo stated.

In addition, the CTU says Davis Gates does not must be in Springfield as a result of there are already CTU lobbyists down there Thursday. But union critics say it is not simply the timing of the go to to Rome that’s hypocritical. Davis Gates is a powerful opponent of vouchers for personal colleges, together with Catholic colleges.

“Illinois was the only state in the country that has killed a school choice program, and some of that school choice money went to children who were going to Catholic schools,” Berg stated.

“As a parent, I have a choice in sending my children anywhere I’d like. However, taking money out of public education to fund private decisions is a whole ‘nother ball of wax,” Kurzydlo stated.

The Chicago delegation returns to town on Saturday. So technically, there’s nonetheless time for Davis Gates to foyer Springfield for cash, because the finish of the session is on Sunday.