Stacy Davis Gates

Davis Gates began her career teaching history in 2004 at Englewood Technical Prep Academy High School, a public school on the south side of Chicago, Illinois.^[5] In 2008, the school was closed as part of a series of closures led by the CEO of Chicago Public Schools (CPS), Arne Duncan, Davis Gates attributes this as the moment she was "radicalized."^[6][5]

After the closure of Englewood Technical Prep Academy, Davis Gates transitioned to Roberto Clemente Community Academy in the Ukrainian Village neighborhood of Chicago.^[6] In May 2008, Davis Gates was one of 12 elected delegates for the Chicago Teachers Union who formed the Caucus of Rank-and-File Educators (CORE).^[7]

In 2011, Davis Gates joined the staff of the Chicago Teachers Union as political director.^[8]

In 2018, Jesse Sharkey succeeded Karen Lewis as president and Davis Gates was chosen as Sharkey's vice president following the recommendation of Lewis.^[9]

As Vice President, she oversaw a 14-day strike in 2019, over failures to reach a contract.^[10][11] The majority of her time as vice president was characterized by the COVID-19 pandemic; in April 2020, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker closed all schools to in-person instruction for the remainder of the school year.^[12] In October of that year CPS announced a plan to return to in-person instruction, which Davis Gates and the CTU opposed.^[13] Chicago Public Schools returned to in-person instruction in January 2021, despite concerns of the union and discussions of a potential strike from Davis Gates.^[14][15] In January 2022, the CTU went on a 5-day work-stoppage over safety concerns following a rise in COVID-19 cases.^[16][17]

In 2021, Governor Pritzker signed HB 2908 into law, establishing a fully elected board of education in Chicago by 2027, supported by the CTU and Davis Gates.^[18][19][20]

In February 2022, CTU President Jesse Sharkey announced he would not seek reelection.^[21] In May of that year Davis Gates and the rest of the Caucus of Rank-and-File Educators (CORE) were elected with 56% of the vote and she took office in July.^[1][22][23]

In August 2022, she denied speculation that she would run for mayor in the upcoming 2023 election, instead endorsing CTU organizer and Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson.^[24][25] As president of the union, Davis Gates oversaw large contributions to Johnson's mayoral campaign; including, donating $8 per month per member's dues, to controversy and mixed support among CTU members.^[26][27] CTU contributed $2.4 million to fund the mayoral campaign, which Johnson ultimately won in an April runoff.^[28]

In an August 2023 interview with South Side Weekly, Davis Gates expressed optimism for the union's future relationship with the mayor and elected school board.^[20]

Davis Gates lives on the south side of Chicago with her husband and three children.^[29]

In September 2023, Davis Gates faced controversy after a website published her son's name, photo and the name of the private high school at which he is enrolled.^[30][31][32] Critics highlighted her past statements criticizing school choice initiatives, whereas Davis Gates highlighted her son's enrollment as representing a larger issue of disinvestment in public schools.^[33][34]