Remote Learning For Chicago Public Schools Continues Friday As District, Chicago Teachers Union Continue Bargaining
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Chicago Teachers Union says students will be learning remotely again Friday. Chicago Public Schools and the CTU have yet to come to an agreement about safely reopening.
Many kindergarten through eighth grade students are supposed to head back to their school buildings Monday.
It's happening as CPS and CTU continue to negotiate a safe return to the classroom.
Thursday was day two of all CPS students having to stay home for remote learning. Pre-K and some special education cluster students had been able to return to in-person classes for the past few weeks, but the district told them to stay home on Wednesday, after CTU rank-and-file teachers voted to defy an order from CPS to return to in-person instruction.
The union has insisted its decision is about safety, adding teachers need to at least have access to a COVID-19 vaccine before returning to the classroom, but it's a decision that's also affecting thousands of CPS parents.
"That's not right to me. It's like this constant barking in-between, and we're in the middle," said CPS parent Bridgett White.
CPS teachers from kindergarten through eighth grade were supposed to go back to schools for prep time on Wednesday. But other teachers stayed home, even the ones who had already gone back to teach in person.
The Chicago Teachers Union told members who already had been back in class, teaching Pre-K and academic cluster students, to stay home. As a result, CPS said it had no choice but to make everyone remote for the day.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she wants movement from the CTU on the negotiations.
"I am deeply disappointed that after all this time, all these sessions, all the work to make our CPS school buildings are safe, no agreement has yet been reached," Lightfoot said.
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