Chicago Teachers Union Has Until Midnight To Vote On Deal For Returning To Class

CHICAGO (CBS)-- In Chicago's effort to bring kids back to the classroom, the decision is up to the teachers.

Late Monday night, the Chicago Teacher's Union agreed to let their members vote on a new "tentative deal." This deal includes more teacher vaccinations and conditions to close public schools if there's a spike in COVID cases.

Teachers and staff have until 11:59 p.m. Tuesday to cast a vote on the tentative deal by secret electronic ballot.

If CTU votes 'yes' on tentative agreement, this is when teachers and staff would return:

Students:

• Pre-K/Cluster – Return Thursday Feb. 11^th
• K-5^th Graders – Return March 1^st
• 6-8^th Graders – Return March 8^th

Teachers/Staff Return:

• Pre-K/Cluster – Feb. 11^th
• K-5 – February 22^nd
• 6-8^th – March 1^st

If the teachers vote 'no,' a strike could still ensue.

The union also noted that 90 percent of delegates voted "no confidence" in the district leadership of Mayor Lori Lightfoot and CPS.

"Delegates' vote of no confidence tonight reflects their disgust that it has taken almost a year of effort just to extract the most basic enforceable safety guarantees from a school district with a dismal record of broken promises," the union said in a written statement.

In:
• Chicago Public Schools
• Chicago Teachers Union