Chicago Teachers Union members voted on Sunday to challenge an order from the Chicago Public Schools to return to face-to-face education due to concerns about coronavirus pandemic, CBS Chicago reports.
CPS, the nation’s third largest school district, behind New York and Los Angeles, previously called the action an attempt to “cancel personal learning for tens of thousands” of children, and added that it would be treated as an illegal strike. . CTU members argue that it would only be a strike if teachers could not connect to remote learning. Some teachers have already had their accounts blocked.
Kindergarten teachers in eighth grade were due to return to classrooms on Monday. Students from kindergarten through eighth grade are expected to return a week later on Monday, February 1. In response to the CTU vote, the CPS postponed the return date to Wednesday, January 27, as negotiations continue. The scheduled return date for students has not changed.
Distance learning will continue until then, but students and teachers who have already returned to face-to-face learning will remain in the classroom.
CTU argues that returning to the classroom before teachers are vaccinated against COVID-19 is not safe. The district announced plans to vaccinate employees, but that process would not begin until mid-February.
The Associated Press said the school district has about 355,000 students and the union represents about 25,000 members. He also pointed out that Illinois is scheduled to start the next phase of its vaccination program on Monday, expanding access to teachers and people aged 65 and over. Meanwhile, President biden he also said he wants most schools to reopen in the first 100 days of his administration.