Will Chicago High Schools Return To In-Person Learning Next Week?

CHICAGO — Teachers union leaders say high school staffers will refuse to participate in-person learning when students are expected to return to classrooms April 19.

"Sunday evening, the Union’s elected House of Delegates voted that that all high school staff would work remotely starting on Wednesday in the absence of adequate movement at the table, or a recommended agreement on resuming in-person learning in high school buildings," CTU officials said in a statement.

Union leaders say the major sticking point at the bargaining table is "Mayor Lori Lightfoot's refusal to use school vaccine sites to get shots to high school students and vulnerable family members, as COVID again tops 8 percent positivity in some South Side neighborhoods."

The union also alleges that the school district has "dragged on granting accommodations requests to hundreds of educators with life-threatening illnesses, acute child care issues or medically vulnerable family members. Instead, those members are being pushed to come back into buildings, even if it means putting their health on the line," according to a statement.

Last week, the union asked CPS officials to delay school reopening a week. At the time, Chicago public health commissioner Dr. Alison Arwady said based on the current coronavirus metrics there wasn't any reason to delay the return of in-person learning at high schools.

Public school officials are still planning for high school kids to return to have the option to return to classrooms next week. Elementary school have been open for in-person learning since last month

Negotiations between CPS and CTU on reopening plan for high schools were set to continue this week.