School districts and teachers are at odds over when kids should go back to class during pandemic
Local officials and teachers unions are at odds across the country over when is the right time to resume in-class learning, nearly a year after the coronavirus pandemic put an end to normal life for millions of kids and their parents.
The standoff is most clear in Chicago, the nation’s third-largest school district, where schools have been fully remote since March 2020.
The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and Chicago Public Schools (CPS) have so far failed to reach an agreement on reopening plans. CPS CEO Janice K. Jackson and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot have pushed for schools to open for in-person classes and insisted they can do safely, but the teachers union has resisted, citing concerns about health and safety.