CTU and IFT President Stacy Davis Gates on Rep. Jesús Chuy Garcia’s Retirement from the U.S. Congress

Chicago Teachers Union and Illinois Federation of Teachers President Stacy Davis Gates released the following statement on U.S. Representative Jesús “Chuy” García’s decision not to seek re-election to Congress: 

“In 2015, when Rahm Emanuel, who had already closed 50 public schools in predominantly Black neighborhoods, was determined to continue launching attack after attack on our communities, it was our beloved CTU President Emerita Karen Lewis who asked Chuy García to step to the forefront in a challenge for the future of democracy in our city. President Lewis saw in Chuy someone whose commitment to community runs deeper than politics. As a founding member of the historic Black-Brown coalition that powered Mayor Harold Washington’s campaign, he has dedicated his entire life to public service, from City Hall to Congress, always willing to lead with principle and stand up for the people and families who need it most.”

“Throughout his career, whether supporting picket lines in our 2012 and 2019 strikes, standing with educators and paraprofessionals, using his voice in Congress to fight for working families against the ultra-wealthy, or on the front lines against Trump’s occupation of our city, Chuy has never wavered. His commitment to justice for working families will be deeply missed in Washington, but his fight continues here at home, where we need him most.”