The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) has endorsed 15 candidates for the city’s Board of Education’s 21 seats. This list includes a blend of mayoral picks and new political faces for the upcoming November election.
However, for six races, including four uncontested, CTU found no candidates aligned with its values. This shortened endorsement list may complicate CTU’s goal of maintaining a majority on the school board.
Challenges Facing CTU
Hilario Dominguez, CTU’s political director, has filed paperwork to run for board president. Despite the union’s efforts, its endorsements carried limited weight in the 2024 races, with CTU-supported candidates winning only four of nine contested seats.
Still, CTU’s 30,000 members offer strong organizational backing, which may be crucial in down-ballot races. Dominguez heads the slate, running for board president with prior endorsement from CTU. Four other candidates seek at-large positions.
Endorsement Details
The union also backs seven current board members appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson and two incumbents supported in the past: Ebony DeBerry (District 2A, Far North Side) and Jitu Brown (District 5A, West Side). The board is midway through transitioning to 10 elected members and 11 appointees.
All seats will be on the November ballot for the first time. In District 10A, CTU endorsed Tameka Walton as a write-in candidate, though she faced a nomination challenge. If removed, elected incumbent Che “Rhymefest” Smith may be the sole candidate.
Challenges have removed CTU-aligned Angel Velez (District 9A, South Side) and Cydney Wallace (District 8B, Southwest Side), leaving opponents uncontested. Furthermore, incumbents Ellen Rosenfeld (District 4B, North Side) and Angel Gutierrez (District 8A, Southwest Side) have no CTU alignment.
Yesenia Lopez (District 7B, Southwest Side), a CTU-supported but divergent voter on charter schools and budget issues, did not receive endorsement.
Union-Endorsed Candidates
- Board President: Hilario Dominguez
- District 1A: Ed Bannon
- District 1B: Claudia Peralta
- District 2A: Ebony DeBerry
- District 2B: Deborah “Debby” Pope
- District 3A: Norma Rios-Sierra
- District 3B: Jason Dones
- District 4A: Karen Zaccor
- District 5A: Aaron “Jitu” Brown
- District 5B: Michilla Blaise
- District 6A: Anusha Thotakura
- District 7A: Emma Lozano
- District 9B: Katherine Dunneback
- District 10A: Tameka Walton (write-in)
- District 10B: Connie Anderson
CTU anticipates another face-off with special interest groups favoring charter schools and school choice. In 2024, its political action committees spent $4.3 million, outpacing others.
The Illinois Network of Charter Schools and Urban Center’s Super PACs jointly spent $3.5 million. Decisions on endorsements come from committee evaluations and questionnaires, finalized by a CTU House of Delegates majority vote.
CTU and SEIU Dynamics
SEIU Illinois State Council endorsed 13 candidates, mixing appointees, incumbents, and new faces. It did not back a board president candidate, though discussions are ongoing according to Local 73 President Dian Palmer.
Relations between CTU and SEIU have recently strained after a dispute over district employees. Despite the friction, some candidates received both unions’ backing.
The pull of both unions remains significant, with SEIU Local 73 representing 13,000 CPS staff supporting mobilization for the election.