Midwest
Chicago teachers union slams newspaper that called them out for their members' chronic absence
The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) on Friday responded to a newspaper editorial about teachers’ chronic absences in Chicago Public Schools (CPS) when they are paid a median salary of $95K.
“CPS teacher Roxanne Piersanti calls out the Tribune Editorial Board’s recent criticism of teacher absences, pointing out how it unfairly targets working mothers and ignores the realities of caregiving, illness, and the physical toll of teaching,” CTU posted on their X account.
“Have they considered how often educators — especially the 75% of whom are women — are on the front lines of both their classrooms and their families? Does the Trib think workers don’t deserve sick days, FMLA and parental leave? Educators don’t just teach; they sacrifice, care, and persevere. It’s time for the Tribune to reflect the facts,” the CTU wrote.
TEACHERS UNION BOSS DEFENDS SENDING SON TO PRIVATE SCHOOL AFTER CALLING SCHOOL CHOICE RACIST
Despite union membership declining since 2000, a rising number of Americans approve of unions, according to a 2022 Gallup poll. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
The union also highlighted Piersanti’s remark aimed at the Tribune’s editorial board.
“The editorial feels very one-sided and absolutely misogynistic. Do better,” Piersanti wrote in an article criticizing the Tribune.
Piersanti added that the Tribune is “missing facts about why teachers take the time off.”
“What about COVID-19? Do members of the board work with 100-plus different kids a day? How would their immune systems hold up?”, she added.
The Tribune editorial wrote on November 25th that over 41% of teachers were absent from their classes for 10 or more days during the 2023-24 school year, citing state records. The outlet added that 10 days of absences represent a statistical benchmark used in the profession to monitor chronic absenteeism among teachers.
Brandon Johnson, mayor of Chicago, during an inauguration ceremony at the Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago on May 15, 2023. (Jamie Kelter Davis/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“Alarmingly, this poor record of CPS teachers showing up for work has been a new and recent phenomenon. In the 2022-23 school year, for example, CPS teachers’ performance was even worse — 43% were absent at least 10 days. Before that year, though, the rate was considerably better: in the 2016-17 school year, chronic absenteeism among CPS teachers was 31%. The number worsened slightly from there leading into the pandemic but still was better than what we’re seeing now,” the editorial board wrote.
Chicago teachers are paid a median salary of $95,000, significantly more than what teachers are paid in the suburbs and more than “any other large school district in the nation,” according to the Tribune.
CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUFFERING FROM ‘CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM’ BY TEACHERS AS UNION DEMANDS HIGHER PAY: REPORT
The Tribune added that it was an “outlandish ask” for the CTU to demand a 9% annual raise.
CTU President Stacey Davis Gates penned an op-ed on November 29th responding to the editorial board, saying that the board “continues its agenda of denigrating the Chicago Teachers Union and lowers itself with a series of half-truths and cherry-picked statistics.”
“When numbers aren’t juiced to advance an agenda, teacher attendance at CPS tracks with statewide trends,” Davis Gates wrote. “They call this ‘chronic absenteeism’ and insinuate that teachers should be ashamed for doing so.”
Stacy Davis Gates is President of the Chicago Teachers Union, Executive Vice President of the Illinois Federation of Teachers, Vice President of the American Federation of Teachers, and Chair of United Working Families. (YouTube/screenshot | Fox News Digital)
“In CPS and across the state, teachers are making use of their allotted sick time more than before the pandemic. Even when looking at districts with more or less generous leave policies, Chicago is neither the highest nor the lowest when it comes to teacher usage of paid time off,” she added.
CTU, Davis Gates, nor the Tribune immediately responded to a request for comment.
Read the full article from Here
MUKWONAGO — Just two and a half years after launching her business, Emily Koltermann has transformed a simple idea into a growing Wisconsin brand found on the shelves of local supermarkets.
Koltermann, founder of Bulk Butter, created the company after searching for a healthier alternative to traditional sweet spreads.
“Bulk Butter is a lower sugar, better-for-you sweet treat,” she said. “We start with a natural peanut butter base and add in different fun inclusions. Think of your favorite treat or candy bar added to a jar of nut butter, minus all the added sugar plus additional protein.”
Unlike many commercial nut butters, Bulk Butter starts with natural peanut butter that contains no added sugar, salt, oils or emulsifiers. From there, Koltermann adds creative mix-ins that turn the spread into a dessert-inspired snack.
“Our best seller is our Monster Cookie,” she said. “We start with just a natural peanut butter base, blend it with white chocolate and then add toppings to both the top and bottom to make for a better-for-you sweet treat.”
Koltermann said the idea was born during her years as a nationally competitive bodybuilder. While training, peanut butter remained a staple in her nutrition plan because of its healthy fats, even though many people mistakenly assume lower-calorie foods are always healthier.
Watch: Wisconsin entrepreneur builds success with Bulk Butter
From Bodybuilding to Business: Wisconsin Entrepreneur Builds Success with Bulk Butter
“A lot of people think that lower calories equate to better for you than higher calories,” she said. “But as a competitor, I had peanut butter in my plan all throughout prep. We need those healthy fats as individuals for energy, fuel and proper body function.”
After competitions, she would celebrate with a simple indulgence.
“I love peanut butter, so after competing, I would take a spoonful of peanut butter and dunk it into chocolate chips. That was my little sweet treat,” she said. “So, I thought, put it in a jar, and I kind of ran with it.”
At the time, Koltermann was balancing national bodybuilding competitions with a full-time corporate job but wanted something more fulfilling.
“I felt very unfulfilled in the corporate life, so I wanted to find something that was fulfilling while also being passionate about it,” she said.
Building the business meant long days and even longer evenings.
“I knew nothing about the whole business background, and I wanted to just jump in on something and go 10 toes to the ground,” she said. “I was working my 9-to-5 job. In the morning, I would go to the gym, train, get my cardio in, work from 9 to 5, and then after work I would go to farmers markets to launch my product.”
That hard work has paid off. What began as a farmers’ market venture has grown into a regional brand, with Bulk Butter now available in numerous local supermarkets across Wisconsin.
For Koltermann, the company’s success is rooted in offering something different.
“We wanted to find a product that was lower in sugar and didn’t have all the added oils that most nut butters do,” she said. “We took a twist on your natural nut butter and added fun inclusions. We’re very different from your standard nut butter.”
Bulk Butter: Nut Butter Treat | Handcrafted & Small-Batch
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There are few things that the Milwaukee Brewers haven’t done right so far in 2026.
Milwaukee has navigated difficult injuries all season and yet it is 49-29 and has the second-best record in baseball behind the Los Angeles Dodgers (52-29) heading into an important series against the Chicago Cubs. How many teams out there could accomplish this feat when guys like Andrew Vaughn Christian Yelich, Quinn Priester, Jackson Chourio, and Brandon Woodruff all missed significant time at various points in the season? These are legit, star-level pieces and the Brewers navigated the losses admirably.
Right now, all of them are healthy, except Priester. The young starter will miss the entire season. Now, Milwaukee is firing on all cylinders and yet it could be even better. Soon enough, Logan Henderson will be back. Also, the offense would arguably be even better if Vaughn was given more opportunities. Since May 4, Vaughn is only eighth on the team in plate appearances, per Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Despite this, Vaughn has done nothing but tear the cover off the ball. In 39 games, he has slashed .355/.444/.542 with a .987 OPS, two homers, 12 doubles, and 23 RBIs. That’s the type of production you need in the lineup every night, regardless.
The Brewers Need To Give Andrew Vaughn More Time
Brewers manager Pat Murphy acknowledged that Vaughn has had a weakness with some righties, as transcribed by Hogg.
“Heavy east-west sometimes is more troublesome for him,” Murphy said. “But for him this year you can look at it and go, ‘Yeah, against the two-seamer he’s been [worse]. But what about the times against the two-samer that he took it and got something else? You don’t get credit for being good against the two-seamer when you take it. You only get dinged when you swing at it.”
Still, this is a guy batting .355 since May 4. He’s obviously not perfect, but Milwaukee’s offense is better with him in it. Even if the club has to get creative. Jake Bauers has made his mark this season and needs playing time as well and both play first base, among others. Throughout Vaughn’s career, he has seen time at third base, second base, left field and right field, along with first base. Throughout the season to this point, there’s been chatter about how the Brewers haven’t had enough offense on the left side of the infield.
They recently promoted Cooper Pratt to play shortstop, so third base has been handled by David Hamilton and Joey Ortiz. Maybe a good idea could be trying to shift Vaughn to third base for the time being because they could then get his bat and Bauers’ bat in the lineup consistently. In that scenario, the Brewers could also consistently roll with an outfield of Chourio in left field, Garrett Mitchell in center field, and Sal Frelick in right field.
At the end of the day, the Brewers need Vaughn’s bat in the lineup every day. If you can bat .355 over a 39-game stretch, you deserve significant playing time.
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