C.A.U.S.E. Pressures CTU to File an EEOC Complaint on Behalf of African American Teachers

C.A.U.S.E. Pressures CTU to File an EEOC Complaint on Behalf of African American Teachers
The Chicago Alliance of Urban School Educators is celebrating the Chicago Teachers Union filing of an EEOC Complaint to protect the rights of African American teachers who were laid off in 2011. The filing comes after much pressure from the Chicago Alliance of Urban School Educators founder Rosita Chatonda a former CPS teacher and union organizer for the CTU.

The lawsuit is the first of many to come addressing violations of Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The EEOC charges were filed by teachers, Phyllis Carter, Terri Fells, Josephine Perry and Lillian Edmonds and the case seeks restitution for 365 other African American teachers who were laid off pursuant to the Board’s 2011 layoff policy.

In addition, C.A.U.S.E. has asked for a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) from Chicago Public Schools into the number of African American Teachers who were terminated due to the E-3 process and who were brought up on charges by CPS. C.A.U.S.E. is awaiting the FOIA information from CPS who have indicated that they do not have a system that will breakdown teacher terminations by race.

Since 1995, when mayoral control was given to CPS, African American Teachers and Education Support Personnel were 54% of the 35,000 member union. In 2012 , According to ISBE (Illinois State Board of Education) their numbers have dropped to 19.5%. This has resulted in loss of approximately 10,000 African American working tenured teachers who are now only 4,630 of the 32,000 teacher, paraprofessional and retiree members.