The Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools reached an agreement to reopen the schools for in-class learning, but not everyone is happy.
A Twitter commentator posted a photo of a CTU flyer posted during the work action and called into question the union and its affiliates' motives.
“Being passed out by people knocking on doors today in the Irving Park/Horner Park area... The CTU isn't a union. It's a political party with a very strict agenda. Anyone who says otherwise is a liar. UWF = United Working Families, btw,” A Twitter user who goes by 16th & 17th District Chicago Police Scanner noted.
CTU members voted to teach online rather than come back from Christmas break. The district declined the decision and shut down online and in-class learning.
“Our students, parents & communities deserve safety. We DEMAND; temporary remote learning or proper testing; safe staffing levels, high quality masks for students & staff, vaccinations, and clean schools!” the teachers union flyer reads.
“Join us in taking action” the flyer reads, providing QR codes for smartphones to scan options for child COVID testing, contacting one’s alderman or signing the United Working Families petition.
The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) represents the city's 21,000 teachers.
The Jan. 11 agreement between CTU and CPS will provide a set of metrics triggering online learning at individual schools with high COVID rates. CTU had sought a district-wide shutdown amid elevated infection rates. The agreement also included increased COVID testing and more PPEs the city’s schools.
The CTU telegraphed the move in a poll mulling the “work action” extending the holiday break before it arrived.
While the CTU noted the strike was due to a rising COVID rate, several of the schools affected in the weeklong action had no known COVID cases.
One teacher whose school had only reported two positive COVID cases in the month prior to the action noted he would be making a list of names of all teachers who taught in-class during the work action.
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