Chicago City Wire

The Chicago Teachers Union is pushing full speed ahead on identity politics with the Black Lives Matter movement, despite controversy surrounding the organization’s extremist history.

In a recent “Resolution for Black Lives Matter” the CTU noted its support for the radical organization and encouraged its members to wear BLM garb during the first week of February, which has been deemed the "BLM at School Week(s) of Action."

The resolution notes a laundry list of items such as police shootings, the teaching of black history, CPS's loss of black students and other items.

“RESOLVED that the CTU will host events during or around this week and engage in advocacy on an ongoing basis aligned to the national demands for hiring more Black teachers and ending the pushout of Black teachers in our schools, proper implementation of restorative practices in schools and ending zero tolerance discipline, teaching students Black history and other ethnic studies curricula, and funding more counselors in schools as opposed to police officers; and be it finally,” the CTU said in the resolution.

“RESOLVED that the CTU encourage its members to wear Black Lives Matter at School shirts to school that week and teach lessons about related topics.”

The resolution also called for a higher percentage of black teachers in Chicago Public Schools despite noting Hispanics make up the largest population of students at 46.6% but are underrepresented as teachers at 21.2% of the population.

The founders of the national Black Lives Matter organization have been described as “trained Marxists” and its website once advocated for the dismantling of the “Western-prescribed nuclear family structure.”

Following the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas terrorists on Israeli civilians, BLM Chicago posted a graphic of a hangliding militant, a nod to how many of the terrorists entered Israeli territory with the caption, “I stand with Palestine.”

BLM Chicago later partially walked back the controversial post celebrating Hamas' actions in Israel, acknowledging that the deleted graphic wasn't something they were proud of.

This came as BLM Global Network Foundation distanced itself from the Chicago chapter and BLM Grassroots, which faced criticism for posts related to the Hamas attack, was accused of glorifying the terrorists.

In the summer of 2020 BLM organizers in Chicago defended looting of stores in Chicago’s Magnificent Mile with one organizer saying such takings amounted to “reparations.”

Ariel Atkins, a BLM organizer, defended the looting at the time, according to NBC Chicago.

“I don’t care if someone decides to loot a Gucci or a Macy’s or a Nike store, because that makes sure that person eats,” Atkins said. “That makes sure that person has clothes."

Atkins said looters affiliated with BLM were provided with a free-for-all.

“Anything they wanted to take, they can take it because these businesses have insurance,” Atkins said.

Over $65 million in damage was incurred during the months of rolling riots experienced in the city.

Months after the looting Chicago businesses were still struggling to return to normal operations.

The CTU has become one of the major players in politics in the State of Illinois in recent years.

Recently, the Chicago GOP accused Democrats of prioritizing the CTU agenda over the educational opportunities for minority children, noting the union was taken over by “outright socialists in 2010.”

“When the CTU leadership is displeased, Democrat public officials bow down before their new masters, seeking approval by enforcing the radical socialist agenda that is at the heart of CTU politics, whatever the cost to Illinois citizens or even Illinois children,” the Chicago GOP noted.

Others have called the CTU “a political party with a very strict agenda.”

The union boasts around 25,000 dues -paying employees in Chicago Public Schools, the third largest public school system in charge of 360,000 students across more than 6,000 schools in Chicago.

The CTU borrowed money against future dues to support Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s candidacy.

Prior to the Feb. 28, 2023 primary Johnson received over $1 million in campaign cash from the CTU.