The union embraces political spending tactics the Chicago Teachers Union uses in an effort to further its political goals.
Members send their hard-earned money to the Illinois Federation of Teachers — and the union turns around and spends millions on politics.
And now that Stacy Davis Gates is president of both IFT and the Chicago Teachers Union, teachers can expect more money to go to politics. CTU’s political spending has quadrupled since she took the helm in 2022.
But teachers in the 200 districts represented by IFT have an option: They can opt out of the union in August
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