If one thing is true of teachers’ unions, it is that they are far more than just bargaining entities. They are cultural barometers, revealing the values and convictions of those entrusted with shaping the next generation. Through their public statements, policy endorsements and collective actions, these unions offer a rare window into the priorities of educators at scale.

That’s why it was deeply troubling when the Chicago Teachers Union chose to publicly praise Assata Shakur, a divisive figure convicted of murdering a New Jersey state trooper in the 1970s. In a social media post last month, the union celebrated Shakur’s legacy without acknowledging the gravity of her criminal conviction. For an organization representing educators, this was an incredibly frightening moral misstep and a concerning example of a powerful institution tacitly endorsing political violence.

“Rest in Power, Rest in Peace, Assata Shakur,” read the post, which called Shakur, who died on Sept. 25 after living as a fugitive for decades in Cuba, a “revolutionary fighter” and “leader of freedom.”

The post, which was condemned by Democrats and Republicans alike, signaled a willingness to valorize someone whose actions stand in direct conflict with the principles of justice and accountability that teachers are expected to instill in their students. When unions speak, they speak not only for their members but also for the values they wish to transmit to the next generation. In this case, the message was jarring, troublesome and a wake-up call to parents and the general public alike.

Of course, the views expressed by the Chicago Teachers Union in this instance are not representative of all teachers or all unions. But this wasn’t a fringe group or a minor local chapter either. The CTU is one of the largest and most politically active teachers’ unions in the country, with over 25,000 members and a prominent role within Randi Weingarten’s American Federation of Teachers.

And while we’re on the topic of Randi Weingarten, the union boss has not publicly denounced the Chicago Teachers Union’s post, nor has she clarified whether it aligns with the values of the national organization she leads. Instead, she continues a book tour centered on the “future of democracy,” a theme that rings hollow when juxtaposed with her refusal to confront a member union’s glorification of a convicted cop killer.

And you think this controversy is confined to Chicago, think again. The Baltimore Teachers Union is also a member of the American Federation of Teachers, an affiliation that reflects shared leadership, shared resources, and often, shared messaging. So, when the CTU publicly glorifies a convicted cop killer and the AFT president refuses to condemn it, Baltimore parents have every right to wonder if this moral bankruptcy is creeping into our own classrooms.

Teachers unions have a vital role to play in advocating for fair wages, safe classrooms and equitable education. But so do parents, and so does the public. When warning bells begin to ring about what some unions are choosing to represent, it’s reasonable for parents to get protective and the public to get skeptical. These organizations help shape the moral and civic foundation of our schools, and when that foundation shows cracks, families have every right to question what’s being built atop it. Sadly, that’s where we are: in a moment where vigilance is no longer optional, and where silence from leadership demands louder scrutiny from those they claim to serve.

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