Every morning, my son walks into a Chicago Public Schools building with the same hopes every child deserves: to feel educated, safe, challenged, supported and inspired. And every morning, thousands of CPS educators walk into those same buildings carrying an enormous responsibility that too often goes unrecognized.

You are asked to be teachers, counselors, social workers, disciplinarians, mentors, advocates, crisis managers and emotional anchors for children navigating an increasingly complicated world.

And lately, many of you have made something else clear: You want to be heard.

The recent backlash from rank-and-file educators over proposed dues increases and efforts to limit members’ legal recourse was not just about internal union politics. It was a reminder that teachers, like parents, want transparency, accountability and a voice in decisions that affect their lives and livelihoods.

I understand that frustration.

But I also want to say something that feels increasingly rare in Chicago politics: This does not have to be a zero-sum game. Our children are more important than politics. 

Teachers are not the enemy. Parents are not the enemy. Administrators are not the enemy. Taxpayers are not the enemy.

And the answer to every policy disagreement cannot be another political race to the bottom, where everyone retreats into their camps and assumes bad intentions from everyone else.

Because the truth is, most of us want the same things.

We want classrooms where teachers can actually teach instead of constantly managing chaos. We want schools that function efficiently and predictably. We want students reading at or above grade level. We want safe hallways.

We want strong arts, sports and vocational programs, along with neighborhood schools families are proud to send their children to. We want educators who feel respected and empowered, not burned out and unheard. And, yes, we want fiscal responsibility and transparency so the public continues to trust and invest in public education.

Those goals are not contradictory.

Chicago cannot build a successful school system through permanent political combat. We also cannot build one by pretending legitimate questions about governance, spending, priorities, or accountability are attacks on public education itself. Healthy institutions welcome scrutiny because they believe in their mission.

As a parent, I want my son to learn in a district that attracts and retains exceptional educators. That means continuing to pay teachers competitively. It means giving them support. It means reducing bureaucratic nonsense that pulls them away from students.

But it also means building a culture where disagreement is allowed, where members feel represented and where leadership never becomes disconnected from the people it serves.

The best school systems in America are not driven by fear or division. They are built through trust.

Trust between families and teachers. Trust between educators and leadership. Trust between taxpayers and institutions. Trust that everyone involved is rowing in the same direction, even when we disagree on how to get there.

Because rebuilding a world-class city requires a world-class education system.

Chicago cannot compete for families, businesses, investment and long-term growth if parents lose confidence in their neighborhood schools or educators feel unsupported in their classrooms. A thriving city and a thriving public school system go hand in hand. One cannot exist without the other.

I know many CPS educators are exhausted right now. Some feel politically homeless. Some feel caught between competing narratives that never fully reflect the reality of your classrooms.

I want you to know this: I see you.

And more importantly, I believe Chicago’s future depends on rebuilding a civic culture where teachers are treated neither as political props nor as obstacles, but as partners.

That’s why we want what you want: good schools. Functional schools. Safe schools. Accountable schools. Schools worthy of Chicago’s children and worthy of the educators who dedicate their lives to them.

We can still build that together.

Susana Mendoza is the Illinois state comptroller.

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