Chicago City Wire

Florian Sohnke, founder of the Chicago Contrarian, said that Chicago's public education failures are linked to union influence, citing numerous schools with no basic proficiency. The statement was made on the Prairie State Wire Podcast.

"There are probably 60 schools in the city of Chicago in which the math and reading proficiency rates are at 0," said Sohnke. "That is just a public embarrassment. Most of this is due to the Chicago Teachers Union."

Recent analyses of Chicago Public Schools (CPS) highlight ongoing struggles with low academic achievement and the significant influence of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) on district policies. According to Illinois Policy, in 2023 only 26% of CPS students in grades 3–8 were proficient in reading and just 18% met math standards. Critics argue that CTU’s strong role can resist reforms aimed at boosting accountability and academic outcomes. These trends have fueled debate over funding, policy direction, and the effectiveness of union-backed education strategies.

According to Fox 32 Chicago, the latest Illinois State Board of Education data revealed that 55 CPS schools reported 0% student proficiency in either math or reading, with 22 schools at 0% reading proficiency and 33 at 0% math proficiency. This severe underperformance has prompted urgent calls for targeted interventions and increased accountability from both state and city leaders.

As reported by Illinois Policy, current academic proficiency rates in Chicago Public Schools remain below both state and national averages, with about 30.5% of students proficient in reading and 18.3% in math. In comparison, Illinois statewide proficiency averages around 32–34% for reading and math, while national averages are close to 34% for both subjects based on recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results, showing CPS lags behind broader trends.

Sohnke is the founder and lead editor of Chicago Contrarian, launched in August 2019, where he analyzes Chicago’s political and educational issues. According to his writer profile, Sohnke has worked as a freelance speechwriter, researcher, and analyst, focusing on challenging mainstream narratives in city governance and education policy.

According to its "About" page, Chicago Contrarian is a commentary platform founded in August 2019 to offer contrarian perspectives on the city’s politics, education, and public safety. The outlet seeks to challenge the status quo in Chicago and appeals to civic-minded readers and opinion leaders interested in alternative viewpoints, especially on issues like union influence and municipal policy.