Press Room
Latest Press Release
17 COVID cases in 2 weeks leaves Woodlawn school community struggling with unmet safety needs
School has seen over half of classes quarantined and breakthrough COVID, including one vaccinated worker who died four days after testing positive, as classrooms struggle with cleaning issues, lack of adequate ventilation, more. 7:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 6: Press...
Older Press Releases
Mayor’s CPS team agrees that testing, vaccines are path to safety — but won’t ramp up tests or shots
CHICAGO, November 30, 2021 — Chicago Teachers Union President Jesse Sharkey issued the following statement today in wake of a press conference with Mayor Lightfoot’s top doc and CPS CEO: Science and sickness is telling us some ugly truths: this global pandemic is not...
Nothing is more important than the trust and safety of our children
Nothing is more important than the trust of our children, and nothing is more reprehensible than the violation of that trust.
Educators demand relief from mayor’s handpicked ed board as CPS starves schools of staff, supports
Mayor's CPS team promised to move $535 million out of $2.6 billion in COVID relief to schools, but students see no resources or relief on the ground as COVID rates tick back up. 9:00 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 17: Press conference on chronic lack of cleanliness, staffing,...
Lightfoot CPS team ignores acute shortages of staff, resources, supports at Lawndale school — and schools across district
Tuesday day of action across CPS will flag chronic issues of school safety, staffing, cleanliness, with no relief from $2.6 billion in federal COVID funds. 7:00 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 16: Press conference with CTU rank and file, officers. B-roll opportunity: parent...
Access to vaccines for CPS students now eligible for COVID-19 vaccination severely limited in South Side communities
We cannot have any kind of dysfunction from the mayor and her CPS leaders around getting our youngest students vaccinated.
CTU to vax kids Friday as families scramble for COVID shots — and mayor’s CPS team rejects expanding school vax access
Poor city planning kicks off another round of vaccine ‘Hunger Games’, as Lightfoot refusal to step up vax in schools leaves Black and Brown students in the lurch for easy access to lifesaving shots. NOON press availability, FREE vaccine event from 12:00 p.m. - 3:00...
Closing schools to allow time for vaccination appointments is the right move
The more that CPS, in partnership with our union, addresses the totality of safety and wellness, the more hope we provide our students, and their families and communities.
7A Thurs: CTU to test students for COVID as Lightfoot CPS team abandons promise to test weekly
Ten weeks into school year, Mayor's CPS team still failing to test all students registered for COVID tests, as new numbers show District vax plan is failing to get shots to eligible students. 7:00 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 4: Press availability at testing action with CTU...
CPS averaging only 34 vaccinations a week across four regional COVID vaccination sites
CHICAGO, Nov. 3, 2021 — With children ages 5-11 now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, information obtained from Chicago Public Schools through the Freedom of Information Act reveals that fewer than 1,000 of all eligible students ages 12-17 have been vaccinated at...
Mayor Lightfoot can reverse enrollment drop by at last investing in real equity
CHICAGO, October 27, 2021 — Chicago Teachers Union President Jesse Sharkey issued the following statement today in wake of news that CPS enrollment dropped this year by 10,000 students: Today Mayor Lightfoot’s CPS team admitted what we’ve raised the alarm about for...
Sign Your Card
Illinois is now “right to work for less.” Beat the anti-union attack. Join CTU!
