Judge bars teachers union from meeting to oust VP

A Cook County judge has barred officials of the Chicago Teachers Union from meeting to oust the union's vice president.

Union president Marilyn Stewart and other officials have accused Ted Dallas of improperly using union money to pay for restaurant meals and to pay himself for sick days. Dallas, in turn, has accused Stewart of mismanaging the union's finances and spending about a half-million dollars on food over a 12-month period.

Union officials were to meet Thursday to discuss Dallas' future with the union. However, Chancery Court Judge Dorothy Kinnard barred the meeting, saying officials should meet with a mediator to settle the infighting that has divided the 30,000-member union.

Dallas had sought the temporary injunction after he said he was sandbagged at a May 28 meeting with the board's executive board. At that meeting, the executive board voted to proceed against Dallas.