In the Face of A CPS-CTU Showdown, Parents Speak Out

After a day with no further progress in negotiations over reopening, Mayor Lightfoot and Chicago Public Schools CEO Janice Jackson issued an ultimatum: show up for work Monday or get locked out Tuesday.

Lightfoot: ALL pre-k and cluster teachers and elementary school teachers must come back tomorrow. "We are directing them to come back. We have been asking them to come back. We need them to come back without fail."
— Sarah Karp (@SSKedreporter) January 31, 2021

Back on Friday, the district and the union announced tentative agreement on a number of issues, but made no further progress over the weekend. The biggest hurdles: whether to phase in reopening more gradually than planned, and how many remote-teaching requests the district can handle from teachers with high-risk family members before there aren’t enough staff in school buildings.

I wish! The proposal to start with K – 3rd grades first — I’m told was “this” close… but no deal tonight.
— Mary Ann Ahern (@MaryAnnAhernNBC) January 31, 2021

Ahern’s tip brings up bad memories of 2019, when a deal was within sight but one issue held up the agreement. That’s why the strike took longer than anyone expected.

While Leaders Bicker, Parents Call for Solutions

Chicago Unheard contributors and other parents all over the city shared their feelings about the stalemate. Frequent contributor Willie Preston spoke with Fox News on Sunday night about his support for reopening school.

Chicago Unheard contributor and CPS parent Willie Preston tells Fox News, “I want to send my children back to in-person learning.”

On Thursday, parent Carolina Barrera-Tobón had strong critiques of both the district and the union during Chicago Unheard’s Facebook Live discussion:

Chicago families speak, a 🧵.

“I’ve seen voices of Black & Latinx children & families coopted to support the union’s & district’s arguments.

Frankly, I’m tired of a predominantly-white union & predominantly-white administration telling me what minority children need.” @cbtobon pic.twitter.com/Q2upgKO4cx
— Karen Vaites (@karenvaites) January 31, 2021

For more parent voice, check out our full Facebook Live discussion:

https://www.facebook.com/chicagounheard/videos/243114224075389

The last word tonight goes to the parents of Raise Your Hand, who remind us that high school students, who weren’t going back under any scenario, take exams this week and that Tuesday is the end of the semester.

There are 340K+ reasons to keep negotiating. @chicagosmayor
— Raise Your Hand (@ILRaiseYourHand) January 31, 2021

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Maureen Kelleher

Chicago Unheard blog manager Maureen Kelleher also serves as a senior writer and editor at brightbeam, a nonprofit network of education activists demanding a better education and brighter future for every child. Before joining the brightbeam team, she spent a decade as a reporter, blogger and policy analyst. Her work has been published across the education world, from Education Week to the Center for American Progress. A former high school English teacher, she is also the proud mom of a middle-schooler. Find her on Twitter at @KelleherMaureen.

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In the Face of A CPS-CTU Showdown, Parents Speak Out

While Leaders Bicker, Parents Call for Solutions

Maureen Kelleher

Latest posts by Maureen Kelleher (see all)

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In the Face of A CPS-CTU Showdown, Parents Speak Out

While Leaders Bicker, Parents Call for Solutions

Maureen Kelleher

Latest posts by Maureen Kelleher (see all)

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