Chicago City Wire

Paul Vallas, former Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Public Schools, has expressed criticism towards the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), accusing it of prioritizing politics over student safety. Vallas's comments were made on the social media platform X, where he criticized the union's stance on curfews, police presence in schools, and accountability measures.

"The CTU leaders say giving Supt. Snelling authority to declare SNAP curfews when there's danger to young people and the public is Jim Crow? This is what they're telling children! Outrageous," said Vallas. "No surprise. Youth safety is not a CTU priority. Remember the CTU forced the district to keep schools closed for 78 straight weeks resulting in a historic increase in school age youth murdered. This is the same union that forced the removal of police who are assigned to deter active shooters at the high school entrances despite Chicago being the school age youth MURDER capital of the nation. The very same union that has protected hundreds of their CTU members from any accountability for abuse cases, including sexual abuse."

Recent discussions in Chicago have centered around a proposed "snap curfew" law, which has exposed divisions between city officials and the CTU. The union has labeled the curfew as discriminatory and instead advocated for youth programs and restorative supports. This position was reported by the CTU.

According to Illinois Policy and the University of Chicago Crime Lab, there has been a 50% increase in shootings involving school-aged youth since 2019. They report that over 90% of these victims were not enrolled in school at the time of their victimization. Additionally, rates of youth homicide and shooting arrests have risen during periods when schools were closed for extended durations.

Illinois Policy notes that police presence in Chicago schools decreased following policy changes supported by the CTU. This reduction coincided with an increase in youth violence within communities. Despite this trend, the CTU remains opposed to reinstating police officers in schools, even as security levels have not returned to pre-pandemic standards.

Vallas served as CEO of Chicago Public Schools from 1995 to 2001 and is recognized for his focus on youth safety and education reform. He has publicly criticized the CTU's opposition to having police in schools and its stance on pandemic-related school closures.