Educators for Excellence Celebrates Court Win, Praising Affirmation of Educators’ Right to Exercise Democratic Values

Illinois Federal Judge dismisses with prejudice a 2022 suit filed by the Chicago Teachers Union Against Educators for Excellence

Chicago, IL – August 23, 2024 – This week, a federal judge in Illinois dismissed with prejudice a 2022 lawsuit filed by the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) against Educators for Excellence (E4E), finding that their allegations E4E interfered with union activities had no merit. The dismissal marks a significant victory for E4E and its advocacy to elevate teacher voices in policymaking.

“We’re thrilled with the Court’s decision and believe it reaffirms our position throughout this process: educators’ voices should never be stifled, and efforts to scare or silence them contradict democratic values,” said Evan Stone, Co-Founder and CEO of Educators for Excellence. “We appreciate the court recognizing that the CTU lawsuit had no merit and will not allow CTU to distract us from our work to support teacher leaders and advance policies to allow students to thrive.”

The ruling is a strong rebuke of CTU and comes during a significant moment of change for Chicago Public Schools, where a newly elected school board will take office this Winter. And, as political dynamics continue to unfold between Mayor Brandon Johnson, the CTU, and the current CEO of CPS, Pedro Martinez, the time has never been more critical for teachers’ voices to be front and center in shaping the future of Chicago’s students.

“E4E invests in my leadership development so that I can better advocate for my colleagues and my students and push for stronger conditions in our classrooms,” said Corinne Lydon, Middle School ELA teacher, CPS. “Every teacher should have access to this growth opportunity, and our union ought to support and encourage it.”

As a pro-union organization that supports teachers in advocating for changes that benefit them and their students, E4E works with Chicago Public School (CPS) teachers who believe in a shared vision of building dynamic, sustainable, and rewarding modern classrooms. In that work, it often means encouraging democratic discourse within unions and with other decision-makers, pushing for excellence in policymaking over politics.  

“Engaging with and encouraging those who hold power in decision-making, including our union leaders, to do better for our teachers and students is healthy and constructive in fostering a transparent dialogue about how Chicago can make progress towards an equitable and high-quality education system,” Stone continued. “We remain committed to supporting courageous teachers who are willing to stand up and speak truth to power.”