October 21, 2025
Below her management, Davis Gates’ key initiative has been advocating for state funding to be elevated for colleges, given Chicago Public Colleges’s public battle with funds deficits over the previous two years.
Stacy Davis Gates, president of the Chicago Lecturers Union (CTU), plans on preventing for extra funding for colleges and universities after being elected president of the Illinois Federation of Lecturers (IFT), placing her in a twin place representing over 100,000 lecturers, the Chicago Solar Occasions reviews.
Davis Gates confronted no challengers within the unanimous Oct. 19 vote in the course of the IFT conference. Together with her slate representing Southern Illinois, the northern suburbs of Chicago, and better schooling employees, 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 individuals collectively who work in several college environments, all for one widespread aim.
She feels she will do the identical factor on the state stage. “We now have to indicate individuals how you can observe democracy, how you can work throughout our variations, how you can create solidarity primarily based on our collective wants, and I don’t assume it’s a greater place to do this than with lecturers from throughout this state,” Davis Gates mentioned.
Below her management, Davis Gates’ key initiative has been advocating for state funding to be elevated for colleges, given Chicago Public Colleges’ public battle with funds deficits over the previous two years. She plans to increase that agenda to IFT by offering coaching for members with supportive techniques, together with how you can discount with administrations and methods to assist locals in contract fights.
Along with public colleges, Davis Gates plans to marketing campaign for extra funding in greater schooling, pertaining to schools and universities being severely underfunded, leading to driving up prices for working households. In response to Politico, throughout an interview, she boasted of holding the recipes handed down from her ancestors to guide, 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 guide the most important union within the Illinois AFL-CIO,” she mentioned.
“I’m a manifestation of that sacrifice, and I work so very onerous 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 — particularly, a social media put up 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 happy to proceed to work along with her good friend, whom she calls one of many “most brave labor leaders in Chicago.” “As every little thing we care about is underneath assault, we’d like leaders who will boldly combat for the faculties and totally resourced public schooling system each neighborhood deserves,” she mentioned in a put up on X.
She is even receiving recognition on the nationwide stage. American Federation of Lecturers President Randi Weingarten mentioned it’s time to see management from the subsequent technology. “We as a union have lots of totally different sorts of leaders that collectively symbolize the subsequent technology,” Weingarten mentioned.
“Stacy is one in every of them.”
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