Recently, Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) President Stacy Davis Gates came under fire when NBC Chicago reported that she enrolled her teenager in a private Catholic school. While numerous sources confirmed this development, it is striking to note that Gates had previously expressed opposition to private schools and championed public education.
According to Gates' past statements, she believes in advocating for public education and ensuring it takes root within her own household. In a Chicago Magazine article last year, she declared, "I can’t advocate on behalf of public education without it taking root in my own household." With this decision, critics have accused Gates of hypocrisy.
However, the CTU president has attempted to defend her choice, citing the "unfair choices" for South Side families and the consequential disinvestment in public schools. In an interview with WBEZ, Gates explained the difficulties faced by Black youth entering high school in Chicago. She stated that many South Side and West Side schools offer limited course selections and lack co-curricular and extracurricular activities.
By enrolling her child in a private school, Gates shines a light on the systemic inequality present in Chicago's public education system. Her family's neighborhood high school, Harlan Community Academy, falls short in various offerings and ranks 437 out of 664 Illinois high schools. In contrast, the private Catholic school entails over $16,000 in annual tuition fees – a price many families in the region cannot manage.
Facing a dilemma, Gates turned to a private institution to provide a competitive soccer team and well-rounded extracurricular activities for her child. Although she expressed criticism for her options, Gates acknowledges the difficult decisions parents have to make for their children. As another WBEZ article noted, "no parent should have to make these types of decisions."
In recent years, disinvestment and disparities have become significant issues within the public school system, particularly for majority-Black neighborhood schools on the South Side – most of which have experienced enrollment declines over the past decade. Moreover, the district's decision to link funding with enrollment ensures that schools in need face budget shortfalls, limiting program availability.
Still, Gates maintains her staunch opposition toward charter schools and voucher systems that contribute to disinvestment in public education. She argues that they ultimately strip public schools of the resources necessary to provide well-rounded, neighborhood-based programs.
