October 21, 2025
Underneath her management, Davis Gates’ key initiative has been advocating for state funding to be elevated for faculties, given Chicago Public Colleges’s public battle with price range deficits over the previous two years.
Stacy Davis Gates, president of the Chicago Lecturers Union (CTU), plans on preventing for extra funding for faculties and universities after being elected president of the Illinois Federation of Lecturers (IFT), placing her in a twin place representing over 100,000 academics, the Chicago Solar Occasions experiences.
Davis Gates confronted no challengers within the unanimous Oct. 19 vote through the IFT conference. Together with her slate representing Southern Illinois, the northern suburbs of Chicago, and better training staff, she changed Dan Montgomery, who led ITF for 15 years. Whereas Davis Gates usually acquired criticism for what’s labeled as divisive rhetoric, CTU has introduced folks collectively who work in several faculty environments, all for one frequent purpose.
She feels she will be able to do the identical factor on the state degree. “We now have to indicate folks follow democracy, work throughout our variations, create solidarity based mostly on our collective wants, and I don’t assume it’s a greater place to do this than with academics from throughout this state,” Davis Gates stated.
Underneath her management, Davis Gates’ key initiative has been advocating for state funding to be elevated for faculties, given Chicago Public Colleges’ public battle with price range deficits over the previous two years. She plans to increase that agenda to IFT by offering coaching for members with supportive ways, together with discount with administrations and methods to help locals in contract fights.
Along with public faculties, Davis Gates plans to marketing campaign for extra funding in increased training, relating schools and universities being severely underfunded, leading to driving up prices for working households. In line with Politico, throughout an interview, she boasted of holding the recipes handed down from her ancestors to steer, understanding the necessity to sacrifice to perform objectives. “Have a look at me. Like, each my grandmothers: sharecroppers. Actually, Sunflower County, Mississippi. Eudora, Arkansas — and I get to steer the biggest union within the Illinois AFL-CIO,” she stated.
“I’m a manifestation of that sacrifice, and I work so very laborious to make good on it as a result of I knew what it took.”
Whereas her election will ruffle feathers from some critics of her strategies — specifically, a social media submit paying tribute to Assata Shakur — Davis Gates has already acquired some reward from elected officers. Illinois Home of Representatives Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch celebrated her for “all the time blazing her personal path,” and “all the time realizing her ‘why.’”
Illinois Rep. Delia Ramirez says she is worked up to proceed to work along with her pal, whom she calls one of many “most brave labor leaders in Chicago.” “As every little thing we care about is below assault, we want leaders who will boldly combat for the faculties and absolutely resourced public training system each group deserves,” she stated in a submit on X.
She is even receiving recognition on the nationwide degree. American Federation of Lecturers President Randi Weingarten stated it’s time to see management from the following era. “We as a union have lots of completely different sorts of leaders that collectively signify the following era,” Weingarten stated.
“Stacy is considered one of them.”
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