Liberty Justice Center represents a group of parents who are standing up to the Chicago Teachers Union, after more than 300,000 students were locked out of in-person learning at Chicago Public Schools on January 5, 2022. The union engaged in an “illegal strike” by refusing to teach in-person, so we filedGolden v. Chicago Teachers Union.
By refusing in-person instruction, Chicago teachers are violating both Illinois law and the Chicago Teachers Union’s own contract. Teachers may only work remotely with the approval of the Chicago Board of Education, which has not been given. By refusing to teach under the conditions established by Chicago Public Schools, teachers are engaging in an illegal strike.
”CTU’s resolution calling members to not show up for work in-person is a strike regardless of what CTU calls it and violates both the collective bargaining agreement with CPS and Illinois law,” said Jeffrey Schwab, senior attorney at the Liberty Justice Center. “CTU cannot unilaterally decide what actions should be taken to keep public schools safe, completely silencing parents’ input about what is best for the health, safety, and well-being of their children.”
There are conditions under which teachers can strike – the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act outlines the necessary criteria – but the Chicago Teachers Union and its members have failed to meet any of them, including providing sufficient notice of intent to strike to failing to get buy-in for their actions from three-fourths of its members.
Chicago teachers’ refusal to honor the terms of their teaching contract is hurting hundreds of thousands of Chicago students and their families and will have long-term effects. “Throughout this entire pandemic, our kids have paid a tremendous price for adults’ mistakes and miscalculations, and now the teachers’ union has hastily and recklessly put them on their political roller coaster again,” said Laurel Golden, lead plaintiff in the lawsuit and a CPS parent. “The science is clear, and so is the desire of parents: Our kids need and deserve to be in school. This illegal strike must be ended immediately, and we must get kids back into the classroom.”
Jeffrey M. Schwab is a Senior Counsel at the Liberty Justice Center, where he litigates cases to protect the rights to free speech, economic liberty, private property and other Constitutional rights in both federal and state courts across the country.
James McQuaid is a staff attorney at Liberty Justice Center where he assists in cases to protect the rights to free speech, economic liberty, private property, and other Constitutional rights in courts across the country.
(Cook County Record)—A deal between the Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union to get teachers back into Chicago’s public classrooms starting Wednesday has ended the need for a court to intervene immediately in the latest clash over COVID safety measures. But a group of parents of CPS students...
Jan. 10, 2022 – Jeffrey M. Schwab, senior attorney at Liberty Justice Center, joined FOX News to discuss why the Chicago Teachers Union strike is illegal and why a group of Chicago parents are suing the union to return to in-person learning. The Liberty Justice Center is representing the Chicago...
Jan. 10, 2022 – Laurel Golden, mother to three Chicago Public School students, spoke with Neil Cavuto about her lawsuit against Chicago Teachers Union with the Liberty Justice Center. The Liberty Justice Center is representing Laurel Golden and other Chicago parents in Golden v. Chicago Teachers Union.
...Jan. 10, 2022 – Jeffrey Schwab, Liberty Justice Center senior attorney, and Chicago Public Schools parent Laurel Golden joined CNN’s Anderson Cooper to discuss the lawsuit to end the illegal Chicago Teachers Union strike. The Liberty Justice Center is representing the Chicago parents in Golden v. Chicago Teachers Union.
...(Daily Mail)—Talks between Chicago school leaders and the teachers’ union resumed Sunday amid a standoff over remote learning and other COVID-19 safety measures that canceled three days of classes and loomed over the start of another week in the nation’s third-largest district. Disputed issues included testing and metrics to close...
Jan. 9, 2022 – CPS mom and first-responder Ammie Kessem and Jeffrey Schwab, senior attorney at the Liberty Justice Center, appeared on Fox and Friends Sunday to outline the lawsuit to end Chicago Teachers Union’s illegal strike. The Liberty Justice Center is representing the Chicago parents in Golden v. Chicago...
Jan. 7, 2022 – Jeffrey M. Schwab, senior attorney at Liberty Justice Center, appeared on CNN’s Erin Burnett OutFront to discuss the lawsuit Chicago parents have filed against the Chicago Teachers Union to return to in-person learning. The Liberty Justice Center is representing the Chicago parents in Golden v. Chicago...
(Fox News)—A group of parents in Chicago has filed a lawsuit against the Chicago Teachers Union, claiming that school closures this week were the result of an “illegal strike.” The lawsuit, filed by the Liberty Justice Center on Thursday, seeks to get teachers back in the classroom. “Because CTU members refused...
(Insider)—A group of parents is suing the Chicago Teachers Union after a stand-off over Covid-19 safety measures led to canceled classes. The teachers union voted last week to refuse to teach in person until additional safety measures to combat the Covid-19 surge are implemented. While teachers intended to teach virtually,...
(Chicago CBS) — Chicago Public Schools students on Friday were heading into the weekend facing another day of possible canceled classes Monday – while city officials said talks with the teachers’ union “must be concluded this weekend.” Late Friday, CPS released the following statement: “CPS is committed to working toward...