CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Officials with Chicago Public Schools confirmed Friday that pre-kindergarten and special-education cluster teachers must report to school buildings on Monday, or they'll be locked out of their remote teaching resources.
The development comes as CPS and the Chicago Teachers Union appear to have reached a stalemate in talks to reopen schools for in-person learning.
The direction to pre-K and special-education teachers applies to educators who have not received a special accommodation to work remotely, school officials said.
Locking non-compliant teachers out of their digital platforms could potentially trigger a strike — the city's second in less than two years.
Earlier Friday, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the ball was in the union’s court after CPS tendered their last, best offer to teachers. She said the CTU had made an unreasonable demand for 20,000 COVID-19 vaccines for members, which would prevent residents who qualify for Phase 1B from getting theirs.
The two sides reportedly had been making progress on other safety guidelines.
A teachers union spokesperson indicated a deal still could happen.
“We continue to be willing to bargain at any time. We continue to teach remotely as we seek to (reach) an agreement on how to safely reopen our schools. Nothing has changed.”
Related
