Union versus administration in Chicago

 When will we all get back to school? In Chicago, not yet!

Chicago Mayor Lightfoot

In Chicago, students were supposed to resume on-site learning next Monday but the return to school buildings has been cancelled but have been cancelled due to pushback from the teacher's union. Teachers were scheduled to return to buildings on wednesday and prepare for the students' return after a few days. Now the return has been delayed while the administration and union negotiate. According to the Chicago Tribune:

At a news conference Tuesday, Lightfoot addressed teachers directly, saying: “Of course we want you to be safe. Of course we take your health and safety incredibly seriously, and we have built a plan to make sure you can get the vaccine. But you need to work with us, you need to talk to your leadership, because we can’t get there unless we get there together.” (CPS halts in-person learning for students already back as teachers strike looms; district still aims to open elementary schools Monday)

On the other hand the teachers' union president states:

“There are many options that we’ve proposed to staff classrooms where children are returning without putting every single member of the school community at increased risk — including thousands of educators with families at heightened risk from COVID,” said CTU President Jesse Sharkey. “Is the mayor creating a crisis just to get her way on a reopening date that ignores the risks in our schools and our neighborhoods?” (CPS halts in-person learning for students already back as teachers strike looms; district still aims to open elementary schools Monday)

What is the way forward? The new president Joe Biden has said he wants all students in school within 100 days. But the federal government does not control local schools, the local school board does. In other cities, online versus in-person learning varies. In Florida, students and families have their choice of how to learn, while in California in Los Angeles, all learning is online just like it is Chicago at this point. However, in New york, elementary students are in the buildings while middle and high school students are online only. I guess only time can tell when we will finally return to our buildings!

Question: are you ready to go back to the Brookside campus now?

Where the top US school districts stand with virtual vs. in-person learning

A Chicago teacher doing virtual class outside