Lawsuit File Source: Unsplash The Liberty Justice Center filed a lawsuit against the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) on behalf of four union members,
The Liberty Justice Center filed a lawsuit against the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) on behalf of four union members, demanding the release of long-overdue financial audits. The lawsuit alleges that CTU has not fulfilled its obligation to provide an audited financial report for the past four years, as required by the union’s Constitution and Bylaws.
According to Article VI, Section 1(d) of CTU’s Constitution and Bylaws, the union is mandated to “furnish an audited report of the Union which shall be printed in the Union’s publication.” However, the last audit published by CTU covered only the first half of 2019, and no subsequent audits have been made available.
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“CTU members deserve to know where their money is going. After four years of silence, it’s time for transparency,” said plaintiff Phillip Weiss, who has been a CTU member since 1998. “This lawsuit isn’t just about us—it’s about the more than 25,000 educators across Chicago who rely on the union to uphold its commitments.”
Prior to the lawsuit, the Liberty Justice Center sent a demand letter to the union on behalf of several anonymous members, urging CTU to release the audits and avoid legal action. In response, CTU’s lawyers requested the identities of the plaintiffs, citing the need to verify their membership. However, the union allegedly used this information for intimidation tactics, aiming to discourage dissent and divert attention from the issue of financial transparency.
On October 8, CTU President Stacy Davis Gates reportedly attempted to publicly shame the plaintiffs during a member-wide call, mentioning them by name and suggesting that their request for transparency was linked to a “right-wing” effort dubbed “Project 2025.”
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With the union failing to provide the audits by the specified deadline, the Liberty Justice Center proceeded with legal action to compel CTU to release the financial reports.
“We are proud to stand with Chicago educators in their fight for accountability and transparency,” said Dean McGee, Senior Counsel for Educational Freedom at Liberty Justice Center. “CTU leadership must uphold its obligations to the teachers it represents.”
The lawsuit, Weiss v. Chicago Teachers Union, was filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County on October 8, 2024. The Liberty Justice Center is representing the plaintiffs on a pro bono basis.
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