The Chicago Teachers Union is insisting on Zoom lessons, or whatever platform they choose to teach students virtually. The Chicago Public School district, the third largest school district in the country, expected teachers to show up to class on Monday. But after failing to reach an agreement with the CTU, that return date has been delayed. The sides are currently in a "cooling off period."
CNN's Brianna Keilar asked one of those stubborn Chicago teachers what more it would take to get them back to the classrooms.
"My concerns that remain, No. 1 concern is I have, is that COVID is still spreading in Chicago," the teacher, Kirstin Roberts, said. "Many of the communities in which we teach, COVID is well above 10 percent community spread. And I don't believe that we have reached an agreement on the question of how are vaccines going to be distributed?"
CNN's Brianna Keilar lists all kinds of things Chicago has done to fulfill teachers union demands, so she asks teacher what else is left to reopen.
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) February 1, 2021
Teacher literally says, "COVID is still spreading in Chicago."
By that logic, you can stay closed for another 3, 5, 10 years? pic.twitter.com/rwz8ZgiNsB
Roberts went on to argue that she lives with her elderly parents and is concerned about putting them at greater risk.
The social media users who listened to and commented on this conversation agreed that the educator is not acting in good faith.
Plenty of schools are making it work! Get back to work!
— patriot_kat (@patriotkat3) February 1, 2021
This is a teacher! What a shame. And scary that we send our children to these irresponsible folks.
— SoCal2020 (@socal2020) February 2, 2021
Last week, President Biden appeared to side with the CTU and agreed that they should only return to in-person learning when they feel it's safe to do so. Lawmakers like Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) argued that Biden was caving to the left and siding with "radicals."
?? Latest example of Biden caving to the Left:
— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) January 26, 2021
He pledged to reopen schools.
But yesterday he sided with the radical Chicago teachers union that wants to keep schools closed.
When will he start standing up to these liberal special interest unions blocking kids from classrooms?
In a new Fox News op-ed, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) suggested punishment for schools who continue to cave to the unions.
"If a school continues to cave to the unions at the expense of their students, they should not receive funding," he writes. "I propose that if a school refuses to offer students an in-person option by April 30, 2021, 100 days into the Biden administration, that funding should be rescinded and directed to school choice and the reopening plans of schools that are prioritizing their students’ needs.”
By the way, one leader of the Chicago Teacher's Union who refused to return to class because it was "unsafe" was recently caught vacationing in Puerto Rico.
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