Chicago City Wire

Citing lingering COVID-19 concerns, the Chicago Teacher's Union seeks to delay the reopening of high schools for in-person learning at Chicago Public Schools.

"We are asking for the Chicago Public Schools to delay the reopening schools by a week … in order to understand what's going on with the dangerous spread of the variant," Chicago Teacher's Union President Jesse Sharkey said, Foxnews.com reported April 8. "It's critical, we believe, that there is some plan for vaccinating high school-age students… and their family members."

Public school officials had set a return date for in-person learning for April 19, with teachers and staff scheduled to report back to work a week earlier.

While Chicago Public Schools elementary and pre-school students returned to the classroom several weeks ago, high school students have continued to learn remotely for approximately one year.

With approximately half of the state's public schools still closed, students and parents have taken to the streets to voice their growing displeasure. Among supporters urging them to stick together as one has been former Chicago Public Schools Superintendent Paul Vallas.

"I think there is strength in numbers and what I've done since the pandemic in networking with parents is tell them they need to organize and protect themselves because they try to intimidate parents," he said during a recent March appearance on Chicago's Morning Answer. "I've said the most effective way is to be in constant communication with each other."

As schools have reopened, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently said that students could be seated 3 feet apart in certain cases. The guidance also said the change in seating should be done if teachers have been vaccinated.