CHICAGO (AP) — Leaders of Chicago Public Schools canceled classes Wednesday after the teachers union voted to switch to remote learning due to the surge in COVID-19 cases, the latest development in an escalating battle over pandemic safety protocols in the nation’s third-largest school district.
Chicago has rejected a districtwide return to remote instruction, saying it was disastrous for children’s learning and mental health. But the union argued the district’s safety protocols are lacking and both teachers and students are vulnerable.
The Chicago Teachers Union’s action, approved by 73% of members, called for remote instruction until “cases substantially subside” or union leaders approve an agreement for safety protocols with the district. Union members were instructed to try and log into teaching systems Wednesday, even though the district said there would be no instruction and didn’t distribute devices to students ahead of the union votes, which were announced just before 11 p.m. Tuesday.
“This decision was made with a heavy heart and a singular focus on student and community safety,” the union said in a statement.
However, district officials blamed the union for the late cancellation, saying despite safety measures, including a high teacher vaccination rate, “our teachers are not willing to report to work.”
“We are deeply concerned about this decision but even more concerned about its impact on the health, safety, and well-being of our students and families,” the district said in a statement.
The status of instruction for the rest of the week remained in limbo, while district leaders said a plan to “continue student learning” would come later Wednesday. School officials deemed the union action a “work stoppage” and said those who did not report to schools Wednesday would not be compensated. Last year during a similar debate, the district punished teachers who did not come to schools.
Contentious issues in the roughly 350,000-student district include metrics that would trigger school closures. The district proposed guidelines for individual school closures, saying safety measures like required masks, availability of vaccines and improved ventilation make schools among the safest places for kids to be. But the union has proposed metrics for districtwide closure, citing risks to students and teachers.
Students returned to class Monday after a two-week winter break with COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations fueled by the omicron variant at record levels. School districts nationwide have grappled with the same issue, with most opting to stay open.
While the union has characterized their action as a way to get better safety protocols in schools, district leaders called it an “illegal work stoppage.” A fierce battle took place last January over similar issues causing a bumpy start to the district’s return to in-person instruction after first going remote in March 2020.
Schools CEO Pedro Martinez said buildings would remain open for administrators, staff and “essential services,” but not instruction for students in the district that is largely low income and Black and Latino. District officials said schools would offer food service from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and COVID-19 testing would continue as scheduled, but afterschool activities would be canceled. The district also provided a list of city sites with available daycare.
In response to union concerns, the district said it has provided 200,000 KN95 masks to teachers, would allow schools to bring back daily health screening questions for students and building visitors that were required last academic year, and would spell out metrics for closing individual schools. For instance, the district said it would switch to remote learning at an elementary school if 50% of its classrooms had more than 50% of its students instructed to isolate or quarantine.
The union, with roughly 25,000 members, had sought the same metrics to close schools from an agreement last year, which expired before the new school year started. That includes a districtwide two-week pause on in-person learning if the citywide COVID-19 test positivity rate increases for seven consecutive days, for instance.
Union leaders said more safety protocols were needed and that the COVID-19 surge was causing staffing shortages. The district said roughly 82% of its roughly 21,600 teachers reported to work Monday, which was lower than usual, but that classes were covered by substitute teachers and other staff.
District officials said student attendance for the week was not yet available.
Roughly 100,000 students and 91% of its more than 47,000 staff in the district are vaccinated, according to the district.
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Wasn’t it the teachers unions who support the democrat party. I guess they aren’t too old to learn lessons either. Now if they will only remember that on their next Election Day.
“Chicago Teachers ‘Unwilling To Return To Work’;”
Why work when the “treasonous Socialist Democrat Party will pay you not to work.
The Childrens education has no value, we the Democrat Party thrive on poor, uneducated peasants and dependents. 🙁 🙁 🙁
THIS IS why we in america, NEEDS SOMEONE like Margret thatcher, who had the SPINE TO go AFTEr the bloody unions, and BREAK their stranglehold they had on society…
“This decision was made with a heavy heart and a singular focus on student and community safety,” the union said in a statement. To which I would say, “pure BS: More like made with a heavy hand while being completely out of focus.
The politicization of COVID is crippling this country in a horrific way. But you add that to a city that is already in a meltdown with no competence in leadership, and it becomes a major problem magnified to gigantic proportions. Public safety, health and well-being, protecting others—these have all become political talking points—the health element of the virus was left in the dust some time ago. There has never been a viral infection in this country that has been as overplayed and turned into such a propaganda and brainwashing tool as COVID—and there have been viruses far more severe and we endured without society reaching such an insanity level.
Many thanks to all the players who have contributed to all of the ridiculous upheaval that has been, and still is, heaped upon the lives of every one of us. Thanks for all of the bad advice, the misinformation, and the contradictions that have paralyzed our daily lives and pitted individuals against one another—even to the point of contempt. In flattening the curve, it all got turned into a vicious circle. Fear, contentiousness, and tyrannical control obviously have no effect on a virus—and defeating COVID is clearly not the end game here—so cut the nonsense.
The self centered and self absorbed teachers union doesn’t give a flying flip about the kids who have already lost an entire year of learning! They should be fired for abandonment and hire replacement teachers who want to teach. School teachers are NOT scientists and isn’t that what they allegedly wanted to begin with?? Now they are changing their tune!
After all the teachers and administrators have been fired, the people of chicago should stop paying the portion of their property taxes that go to funding education. Why pay for something that they are not getting?
AND that is on TOP OF THEM STILL BEING PAID to do practically nothing.. YET THEY STILL WHINE They need to get paid more..
Exactly!
TO ME, they are not even worth WHAT WE CURRENTLY pay them.. LET alone a bloody pay rise!
They aren’t there for the kids. They exist for whatever power grabs they can get via their crooked union. They are getting too big for their britches and need to be put in their place. Fire them all and bring in substitutes who WANT to truly teach the kids. End this, Chicago!
Good… now the parents will have to send the children to a private school… and that will stop the libtard indoctrination. Stop paying the school taxes and put it in an escrow account then start a class action suit. After they win in court use the money to pay back the loan for the private school.
THIS IS chi-raq.. I AM NOT SO CERTAIN, they would WIN said lawsuit!
Let’s face it, most people, if given the choice between actually doing your job and getting paid to not even show up, I mean FULL pay, how many could refuse (I mean besides the 150 million who actually give two cents)…
No! Since the beginning, when it was “a fact” that kids were not only NOT in any danger from, and were a fraction of a fraction of a fraction able to transfer the virus to anybody, the fricken teachers have been cowering behind the “threat” of getting a virus from each other more than the children whose education is their responsibility, by the simple choice of their vocation.
If you don’t want to do the job, fine.
Quit.
And stop making US pay for your lazy back pockets not wanting to be threatened by a fraction of a fraction of a fraction that they might ooo contaminate you…
DO YOUR JOB, or get off the pot.
Exactly. WHERE ARE peope willing to BREAK THE UNIONS lines, and work anyway? Where are the parents, stepping up to DO THE JOB THE UNION CRETINS REFUSE to do!
It’s time the union be decertified because it is nnot acting in the best interests of the students or the public. Any input they have concerning educational curriculum should be minimal at best as they have undermmied their own profession with the politics of race and gender eschewing REAL learning.
THEY act in THEIR interest only, TO HELL with those they represent, AND THOSE THEY SERVE.