On March 1st, after weeks of discussion and debate between the Chicago Public Schools, Lori Lightfoot, and the Chicago Teachers’ Union, elementary schools reopened in the city for opt-in in-person learning. The last wave of students, those in 6th to 8th grade, was welcomed back into schools on March 8th. Though the return to in-person learning has not gone as well as many CPS administrators had hoped, they are still confident that a return to normalcy is closer than ever.
Results from CPS data that were released in mid-March did not meet early expectations. Though in-person learning was reinstated, only 49,281 students that were given the in-person option returned to schools, leaving a total in-person attendance of 21%. This was about 10,000 students less than administrators predicted. To add to the negative effects, 1 in 3 of the in-person students were taught by remote teachers, according to a CPAA survey taken by 195 of the 415 elementary schools. It should also be noted that the students that returned to in-person learning and had teachers in the classroom were skewed heavily towards white students and students living in Chicago’s north and northwest neighborhoods.
Current discussions between CPS and the CTU have revolved around the reopening of CPS high schools. Many CPS administrators have been pushing for an April 19th reopening to match the start of the last quarter of the school year, which they announced officially on March 16th. However, the CTU made a statement that they have not been a part of the high school reopening discussion as desired, and that there are many issues left to be addressed, including information about vaccine availability for school staff and the current amount of elementary students back in school. It was later revealed that the president of the CTU, Jesse Sharkey, had seen the CPS announcement before it was released, and CPS made the edits she had suggested. This momentary win for CPS didn’t last too long though, as earlier this week they misplaced a reported 6,000 vaccine doses. Many teachers in the CTU are even afraid to reveal their vaccination status, in fear of losing their CPS accommodations that protect their loved ones.
It’s clear that the school system in Chicago has always been politically charged, but perhaps more so than ever during the pandemic. Parents and teachers are both suffering the effects of extended remote and hybrid learning periods, especially in minority communities. To add to the uncertainty, as of today, the CDC still has not determined fully whether or not any of the vaccines available offer complete protection against virus transmission to the unvaccinated. The solution to this complex and gargantuan problem may be murky, but at the very least, both sides should make strides toward honesty and transparency sooner rather than later.
Nate Hall, Tutoring Coordinator
nate@testprepchicago.com
312-848-1266