Chicago Public Schools serve over 340,000 students. These students and their families have patiently waited for the district and teachers union leadership to deliver on 5 day per week in-person learning. They've waited for teachers to be prioritized for vaccines. They've waited for the CDC, Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) to enter a full reopening phase. They've waited for the U.S. Secretary of Education to advocate for in-person learning. They've waited for the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to require in-person learning.   

All of the above have happened. Patience was supposed to result in a return to school for CPS students on August 30th, 2021. Instead, families and students are being asked to ignore all of the experts and instead rely upon the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) to determine when it is safe and appropriate to return to school. 

CTU's July 5th, 2021 proposal asks students to comply with safety protocols that are in direct conflict with current public health guidance (including but not limited to 6 feet of distance for all students and continuance of high school pods). The proposal also sets student vaccination goals of 80% for students while holding their members to no specific goal. CTU is demanding a half day of teacher prep originally granted to ease the burden of conducting both simultaneous remote and in-person teaching. Not surprisingly, this same proposal also requests the removal of all simultaneous teaching. Translation: less instruction time in favor of teacher prep time.

CTU officials are using the pandemic to exercise their recently restored collective bargaining rights. They would prefer to keep students out of the classroom if it results in wins on their wish list and more members on their rolls. This is even more frustrating since CTU are currently under contract until June 30th, 2024 (with a no strike clause).  

Don't let these political power games deprive Chicago's children of the educational opportunities they deserve and need now. Let parents and guardians speak for their students. The Fall 2021 scheduled start date will mark 531 days since students last experienced full time in-person learning. Any additional days missed present intentional harm to a future generation of Chicagoans. 

We, the parents of CPS children, the residents fo Chicago, the people of Illinois, demand better for our Chicago kids.  They deserve a community that is working together to support their progress and growth, through hard work, support, and healing.