Sharkey s comments were made in a letter emailed to CTU members on Friday afternoon, saying Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has walked away from the bargaining table again after submitting the offer Thursday night.
In a statement Friday afternoon, Lightfoot and CPS CEO Dr. Janice Jackson said they had yet to receive a formal response in writing today from CTU leadership, adding the ball is in their court.
Late Thursday evening, CTU said in a statement that the district continues to reject using CDC health metrics, refuses to allow educators with medically vulnerable household members to continue to teach remotely, as two-thirds of families have chosen, and refuses to make improvements in remote learning, despite months of pleas from parents, students and educators.
CHICAGO — In their latest move to try to wrangle an agreement with the Chicago Teachers Union over the reopening of schools, Chicago Public Schools leaders announced late Friday that they’ve proposed a staggered return of teachers and students over the course of several weeks. But the district also indicated that it will begin locking out no-shows at the end of the day Monday — which could .
Sharkey said the offer from CPS would pause in-person learning if there are COVID-19 outbreaks in 50% of buildings at the same time, which he said amounts to more than 200 schools. He also noted that the proposal denies remote work accommodations to 75 percent of educators with household members at high-risk for COVID-19 and will not make any improvement in remote learning, despite four out of five students remaining remote.
While agreements have been reached on a number of issues, according to the school district, the following remain outstanding: vaccinations, accommodations for staff with vulnerable household members, metrics regarding pausing in-person learning and a phased reopening.
In Chicago, a blue city and famous union town, brawling with the teachers union can be a politically fraught prospect for mayors and it’s one they mostly have tried to avoid, as much as failing to plow during a snowstorm or putting ketchup on a hot dog in public.