COVID-19 Archives | Chicago Teachers Union

Mayor Lightfoot and CPS: No compliance, no plan and no shame

By Stacy Davis Gates, CTU Vice President | October 21, 2020 | News
File under: Clerks, coronavirus, COVID, COVID-19, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, Lori Lightfoot, Remote Learning, school clerks, technology coordinators

CPS and the mayor have provided no detailed plan on how they intend to resume in-person instruction for the second quarter. CPS also has refused to commit to bargaining with our union over its decision on when and how to resume in-person instruction.

New CTU campaign calls for investments in remote learning, building safety

By CTU Communications | October 18, 2020 | News
File under: COVID, COVID-19, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, Lori Lightfoot, Remote Learning, Safety

As parents, students and educators await Chicago Public Schools’ plans for the second quarter of the school year, the Chicago Teachers Union today launched the first in a series of digital advertisements focusing on the needs of the city’s school communities in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

CPS indifference to real equity undercuts student enrollment, presents challenges for November return

By CTU Communications | October 16, 2020 | News, Press Release
File under: COVID-19, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, Lori Lightfoot, Stacy Davis Gates

Pre-K drop driven by a number of factors, including a confusing registration process, district refusal to collaborate with educators and parents and mayor’s failure to provide devices for Pre-K students. CHICAGO, Oct. 16, 2020—Chicago Teachers Union Vice...

Mayor’s plan to resume November in-school learning is dangerous

By CTU Communications | October 15, 2020 | News, Press Release
File under: COVID-19, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, Lori Lightfoot

CTU to launch independent COVID tracker as CPS fails to publicly disclose over 20 schools running with skeleton crews that have seen COVID-19 cases this fall. 7:00 a.m. Friday, Oct. 16: Press conference via Zoom. Reporters can pre-register via the link in their email...

AFT president: We need Fair Tax, safe learning during COVID, new leadership in DC

By CTU Communications | October 13, 2020 | News, Press Release
File under: COVID-19, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, Fair Tax, Randi Weingar

CTU support for Fair Tax part of broad effort to bring equitable funding, policies to public education sphere as pandemic rages locally—and Mayor’s hand-picked board of ed refuses to follow binding arbitration decision on remote working during COVID spike. 10:00...

Mayor, CPS try to strongarm clerks into false choice between safety and livelihood

By CTU Communications | October 7, 2020 | News, Press Release
File under: COVID-19, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, Lori Lightfoot, school clerks, technology coordinators

Lightfoot’s handpicked district leaders ignore arbitrator’s legally binding ruling and threaten jobs of workers who exercise right to work safely by working remotely. CHICAGO, Oct. 7, 2020—CPS has threatened to discipline workers who exercise their right...

After arbitration loss, CPS now illegally threatening educators for exercising rights

By CTU Communications | October 7, 2020 | News
File under: Clerks, COVID, COVID-19, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, Lori Lightfoot, Remote, Remote Learning, school clerks, technology coordinators

The district is straight up lying to our people in hopes of intimidating them out of exercising their rights. This is the same divide and conquer tactic it tried when forcing members back into buildings in late August.

CTU to CPS: Listen to stakeholders and plan for safety in buildings, better remote learning

By CTU Communications | October 5, 2020 | News, Press Release
File under: Arbitration, COVID, COVID-19, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, Lori Lightfoot, Remote Learning, Safety

“Challenging an arbitrator’s binding ruling does not get us where we need to be,” said CTU VP Stacy Davis Gates. “We have a long way to go and the clock is ticking.”

CTU wins legal battle to protect workers in unsafe buildings as two new schools report COVID cases — and one tragic death

By CTU Communications | October 2, 2020 | News, Press Release
File under: Clerks, COVID-19, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, Remote Learning, school clerks, technology coordinators

The arbitrator’s ruling finds that the district’s half-measures are failing, in addition to its failures to share case reports with the public and the Chicago Teachers Union. CPS is not fit to reopen.

Mayor mulls reopening schools as CPS broadband plan flounders and two schools report COVID cases

By CTU Communications | September 30, 2020 | News, Press Release
File under: Canty, COVID, COVID-19, Jesse Sharkey, Lori Lightfoot, Mt. Greenwood

Mayor mulls reopening schools as CPS broadband plan flounders and two schools report COVID cases Some Black and Latinx neighborhoods are near 20 percent positivity rates, as these communities remain most at risk for infection and death. CHICAGO, September 30, 2020—CTU...