Chicago Teachers Union under fire for honoring Assata Shakur after death in Cuba

On Friday, the Chicago Teachers Union posted a tribute to Assata Shakur, a convicted killer listed on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists list, shortly after Cuban authorities announced her death in Havana. The post, published on X, described Shakur as a “revolutionary fighter” and “a revered elder of Black liberation” whose “spirit continues to live in our struggle.” It added that Shakur “refused to be silenced” and taught that “It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love each other and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains.”

Cuban officials said Friday that Shakur, born JoAnne Deborah Byron and also known as Joanne Chesimard, died in Havana decades after escaping from U.S. custody. In 1977 she was convicted of the 1973 murder of New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster during a shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike. She escaped from prison in 1979 and resurfaced in Cuba in 1984. The FBI and the New Jersey attorney general each offered a $1 million reward for her capture.

Conservative voices framed the post as an example of how some labor unions insert politics into education. Corey DeAngelis, a senior fellow at the American Culture Project and a visiting fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research, told Fox News Digital that the move could alienate reasonable members. “It's almost like the Chicago Teachers Union is trying to alienate reasonable members and win an award for the most unhinged organization on Earth,” DeAngelis said. “This post should be a wake-up call to Chicago teachers who don't feel like their values are accurately represented by the union.”

The CTU has a long history of taking controversial stances beyond classroom matters. The union has opposed increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity and criticized the Trump administration’s deployment of National Guard troops to U.S. cities. Earlier this month, CTU participated in a boycott of Target, saying the retailer rolled back “its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion” and was “complicit with white supremacy.”

“As President Davis Gates reminds us: this retreat by Target sends a dangerous signal to those who seek to erase the dignity and safety of our students, families, and classrooms,” the union posted in June as part of that dispute. Fox News Digital reached out to the CTU for comment on Saturday but did not immediately hear back.

The episode underscores how union leadership choices can become national talking points in broader political debates about education, governance, and the role of unions in public life. Analysts note that the CTU’s public stances can influence perceptions of the teaching profession, especially in an era of heightened scrutiny of how schools address politics and social issues.

Observers cautioned against equating a single classroom union’s post with the entire educator workforce. Yet the episode has already fed into a broader conversation about how public-school labor groups navigate controversial figures, historical grievances, and the practical duties of running K-12 systems that strive to remain nonpartisan in their day-to-day operations.

Context matters. Shakur’s case remains deeply divisive: to supporters, she is a symbol of anti-imperialist resistance and a champion of Black liberation; to many others, she is a convicted killer whose actions triggered a lengthy manhunt and ongoing disputes about accountability. The CTU’s decision to memorialize her on its official account adds another layer to a national debate about how public symbols intersect with the mission of schools and the neutrality expected of educational institutions.

The episode also comes as public-school unions face pressure from a range of political actors who argue for greater transparency and limits on overt political advocacy by teacher organizations. Critics say that while educators should have a voice in civic life, schools should model nonpartisan learning environments. Proponents counter that teacher unions are political actors by virtue of negotiating contracts, influencing policy, and representing educators’ interests in legislation and public debate. The current dispute illustrates how those dynamics play out in real time, sometimes in sharp, emotionally charged public forums.

In this climate, the CTU’s leadership is under intense scrutiny from some members, parents, and political commentators who question whether memorializing controversial figures aligns with the union’s mission to focus on classroom priorities, student safety, and educational equity. The union’s leadership maintains that its solidarity actions reflect broader concerns about dignity, safety, and the conditions under which students learn. The disagreement underscores a broader question for districts and teachers unions nationwide: how to balance individual moral or political views with the responsibilities of running public schools that serve diverse communities.

As the national conversation about education, politics, and social justice continues, the CTU case remains a touchstone for debates over how unions express support for causes beyond labor issues and how such expressions resonate with the teachers they represent, the students they serve, and the communities affected by school policies.