In a Monday interview with WCPT’s Richard Chew, Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates expressed her frustration with the state of contract negotiations with Chicago Public Schools and the role CPS CEO Pedro Martinez is playing in the process.  “We are deeply disappointed in CEO Pedro Martinez,” Gates said, “because he has an opportunity to be legendary, and he has chosen to take our work, turn it in as his own, and then tell everyone he can’t afford to implement any of it.

"Our union wants a teammate," Gates continued. "We want a teammate because we want to implement the strategic plan. We want to implement [Mayor Brandon Johnson’s] vision and we want to sign a contract that codifies all of those things so we can move our district ahead. We're not going back to the times where we closed schools. We're not going back to the time where we're just fighting incessantly. We're moving forward in coalition.”

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