As 600 members of the Chicago Teacher’s Union took a taxpayer-funded day off at the Capitol to demand $1 billion more in state funding for Chicago Public Schools, State Senator Seth Lewis (R-Bartlett) says recent funding numbers contradict many of the CTU’s claims.
“Everyone has a right to come to this building to ask for something, but when you continuously use bullying tactics to intimidate people, and then resort to name calling when they do not agree with you, I think you are going to find there is going to be some pushback,” said Sen. Lewis. “People in this building are getting tired of that, and there is going to be opposition.”
Under the Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) model, school districts are broken into a four-tier system with Tier One school districts being those that have the greatest need for new state funding to adequately educate their students. Since the funding formula was passed, and with additional state support, CPS has already moved up to Tier 2.
“Chicago needs to start paying its own bills. In the suburbs, when there is a financial need within a school district, they go to referendum,” said. Sen. Lewis. “Voters weigh in at the ballot box in an up or down vote, and school districts respond accordingly. It’s time Chicago started playing by the same rules everyone else is expected to play by.”
The Senate Republican Caucus leaders say they will continue to stand up for taxpayers as well as provide equal funding for schools throughout Illinois.
