Stacy Davis Gates, the President of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), has been elected as the new leader of the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT). The announcement came on Saturday following the union’s election, marking a significant shift in leadership and positioning Davis Gates to play a crucial role in state education funding negotiations.
Davis Gates, known for her progressive stance, could steer the IFT further to the left. Her effectiveness in this new role remains to be seen, particularly in the political landscape of Springfield, where her influence as a progressive leader will be tested. Recognized for her strong advocacy for teachers and the needs of Black and brown communities within the Chicago Public Schools, she aligns closely with Mayor Brandon Johnson. Johnson, who also emerged from the CTU, has been a vocal proponent of increased state funding for education, although his administration has faced challenges in this effort.
The relationship between the CTU and state legislators has been contentious at times. For instance, last year, the CTU faced backlash in Springfield when it labeled a widely supported bill to extend a moratorium on school closures as “racist.” Despite the controversy, the legislation passed the House with an overwhelming majority of 92-8, but it did not receive a vote in the Senate after Johnson intervened.
As President of the IFT, Davis Gates aims to advocate for increased school funding and reform of Illinois’s tax code, which she has criticized as “backwards.” In a recent statement, she highlighted the shared struggles of students across the state, saying, “The belly of a child who just had their one hot meal a day cut from school budgets rumbles the same, whether that young person is on the southside of Chicago or in Cahokia.”
The new leadership comes at a time when the Illinois General Assembly has been hesitant to increase school funding beyond its existing commitments. Just this year, Democratic lawmakers reduced the annual funding increase of $350 million mandated by a 2017 law, withholding $43 million from a grant program designed to assist districts facing high property tax rates and low real estate values. Officials characterized this decision as a temporary measure to assess the program’s effectiveness while balancing the state’s budget, which stands at $55 billion.
Davis Gates, who previously served as the executive vice president of the IFT, succeeds Dan Montgomery, the union’s president for the past 15 years, who is moving on to lead the American Library Association. In contrast to previous leadership, which often came from local roles, Davis Gates has a strong background in both the CTU and the IFT.
In a strategic move, the IFT plans to hold a statewide lobbying day in Springfield on March 12, 2024, coinciding with the General Assembly’s six-day fall veto session. Governor JB Pritzker, one of the targets for the IFT’s lobbying efforts, shared the stage with Davis Gates during a recent speech at the IFT’s convention, where he praised the union and highlighted his administration’s contributions to school funding.
Davis Gates’s election as head of the IFT is not just a change in leadership but a potential turning point for education policy in Illinois, as she prepares to navigate the complex landscape of state education funding with a progressive vision.
