Teachers’ unions have consistently put the needs of America’s children last since the beginning of the pandemic, and even Democratic Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is getting sick of their nonsense.
In Chicago, a vote among members of the teachers’ union on Tuesday showed staunch support for remote learning amid record coronavirus case numbers, but Chicago Public Schools decided to cancel classes outright for Wednesday and Thursday to fight back.
As for Friday, some schools have already decided to cancel, and a district-wide announcement is expected Thursday night.
The district’s administration referred to the union’s stunt as an “illegal work stoppage.”
“CPS staff who do not show up to work will not be paid until they honor their commitment to the District and our students and report for work in-person at our schools,” the district said in a statement, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Here’s the kicker: data from CPS indicates that 90 percent of teachers and staff are fully vaccinated, The Hill reported.
Lightfoot voiced opposition to the union in an interview on Wednesday, as her relationship with the labor group has continued to sour in recent months.
“There are so many things we could partner on,” she said, according to Politico. “Instead, they chose an illegal, unilateral action that throws the whole system into chaos and makes us a laughingstock all across the country.”
“I will not allow them to take our children hostage,” Lightfoot later added.
It’s important to make clear that the relationship has been tense between Lightfoot and the Chicago Teachers Union from the start, despite the fact that Lightfoot herself is no moderate. She’s aware that her city is viewed as a disaster plagued by poverty and crime, so children not going to school does not help with their image.
In a press conference on Wednesday, the mayor doubled down on the union by suggesting potential legal action to get teachers back in the classroom.
“We have taken some action in that direction,” she said, WMAQ-TV reported. “We’d rather resolve this at the bargaining table. We are considering all of our options, and we’ll make a determination shortly as to what levers we’re going to pull, depending on whether or not we make significant progress at the bargaining table.”
While the CTU would like to believe that they are protecting the safety of both staff and students, they are doing quite the opposite. Many working parents will be forced to miss work in order to care for their children, which could dig some families deeper into poverty. In addition, older students could be more prone to take part in dangerous activities if they do not have to attend school. Liberals love to express fake compassion for people in less fortunate communities, but remote learning runs contrary to that narrative.
If even Lori Lightfoot is saying that you have gone too far left on policy, it’s fair to say you have gone completely off your rocker.
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