Chicago City Wire

Though Mayor Lori Lightfoot has recently clarified that Chicago teachers will not be locked out of their online teaching platforms on Feb. 2, it is clear to the educators that they will be compromised if the mayor forces the school re-opening.

Earlier, the mayor had said that “those who do not report to work — and I hate to even go there — we’ll have to take action,” Jacobin reported.

According to Jacobin, Lightfoot told MSNBC that Chicago has “a very robust vaccination plan” for teachers but educators are disappointed in how this is currently being implemented.

The Chicago Teachers Union had asked for basic safety measures but was refused.

Lightfoot’s insistence seemingly contradicts the COVID-19 restrictions and measures she has been ordering stating that it “would be irresponsible and dangerous to rush to reopen” establishments.

Despite many objections and proposals on safety measures, the mayor focuses on some goals on why to her, school reopening is important.   

Jacobin reported that 35th Ward City Council member Carlos Ramirez-Rosa recounted the mayor’s explanation.

“The [city council’s] Latino Caucus met with Mayor Lori Lightfoot some weeks ago… We said, ‘Mayor, why do you want to do this?’ She said, ‘One, I’m hearing from employers that they want their employees back in the workplace; two, I’m hearing from downtown businesses that they don’t have any customers; and three, because I’m worried about the kids.’”