Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates urges Chicago Public Schools to borrow to avoid spending cuts
Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates on Monday called again for Chicago Public Schools to borrow money to address a $529 million budget deficit.
Speaking at the City Club of Chicago, Gates said the Chicago Board of Education should take out a loan to avoid cuts.
Davis Gates also said more needs to be done to persuade lawmakers in Springfield to provide CPS more money, arguing the state's education funding formula calls for district to receive $1.2 billion more each year.
She also called out some city and state Democrats for denouncing book bans across the country while not supporting the union's efforts to fill library shelves in public schools.
"That's why I'm confused when people are frustrated and irritated with the Chicago Teachers Union when they insist on reconstructing school libraries and the schools in Chicago. We don't need dumpsters like they have in Florida if the library doesn't exist in Chicago," she said.
The school district's new fiscal year begins July 1, but CPS has yet to announce a plan to balance its budget.
CPS interim President Macquline King will lead her first school board meeting on Thursday.
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