All through the pandemic, CTU rank and file members have often been adamant about what they say is the need for remote learning; and absent that, rigorous safety measures in schools that include masks. --Supplied photo
Tug of war over masks
CTU fights in court to stay covered
By Tim Hadac
Masks became optional last week at public schools across the city, but the Chicago Teachers Union still vowed a fight to keep everyone covered.
In the wake of a decision against their position by a labor board, the CTU issued this statement:
“By way of a 3-2 vote [March 16], the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board — chaired by former Chicago Public Schools lawyer Lara Shayne — denied a request for a preliminary injunction concerning Mayor Lightfoot’s unfair labor practice in disregarding January’s COVID-19 Related Safety Protocols Memorandum of Agreement and unilaterally implementing a mask-optional policy in Chicago Public Schools without bargaining with the Union.
“The case now moves to trial before an administrative law judge, along with seven other COVID-related unfair labor practice charges pending against CPS.
“The Chicago Teachers Union will continue to stand up for maximum safety in Chicago’s public schools and communities. Despite disregard for the collective bargaining process from Mayor Lightfoot and Chicago Public Schools, our rank-and-file members remain committed to serving students and families safely, and fighting for essential pandemic safety mitigations around vaccinations, contact tracing and COVID-19 testing.”
CTU represents more than 25,000 teachers and educational support personnel working in schools funded by City of Chicago School District 299; and by extension, more than 350,000 students and families.
CPS parents, grandparents react
CPS families contacted by the Clear-Ridge Reporter & NewsHound showed a mix of reactions.
“I am pro-mask and so is my CPS high school student, who continues to wear a mask despite not having to,” Kloudia Guerrero said.
“You will never please everyone,” added Paul Pope. “If you feel that strongly about it, have your children wear a mask in school. If you work there, wear your mask to work. Other school districts in other states have been doing this the entire school year. But this is Chicago, where we fight and argue about everything. Do not worry. Masks will be back next school year with the next variant of the virus. Also, get the vaccine for your children and yourselves if your doctor approves.”
Cathy Ann Smith asked, “Did [the mayor] bargain to put the mandate into place? Nope. It was a public health issue, so it’s silly to think she would have to bargain to remove the un-bargained order. Now that the emergency is over, it’s optional. If you feel unsafe, wear your N95 all day.”
“If people would just take some vitamins everyday and eat better a little more often, there might not have been a crisis,” added Judy Ollry. “Everything in moderation. Better health always starts in your gut.”
A woman who requested that her name be withheld noted, “The masks are optional since Monday. And even though they are optional, most of the students wear them. Only three or four do not.”
Tyres Jackson said this about CTU: “What a bunch of lazy mutts. If I had a business and put out the product Chicago teachers do, I would be out of business. They look for any angle to do less for more money.”
Background
While CPS will continue to encourage the use of masks, the shift “will give families and employees a choice about whether or not to wear a mask at school, outside on school property, and on school buses,” officials said in a statement last week.
The number of newly diagnosed COVID-19 cases in schools and throughout the city has declined sharply over the past several weeks, while at the same time, vaccination rates among CPS students and staff are continuing to rise, and voluntary testing has dramatically increased in schools.
Officials added:
- CPS COVID-19 vaccination rates are now near the national average for 12-17 year-old students (64% of CPS students age 12-17 have had at least a first dose, compared to 68% nationally).
- Rates are well above the national average for 5-11 year-old students (47% of CPS students age 5-11 have had at least a first dose, compared to 33% nationally).
- Overall, 56% of age-eligible CPS students have received at least one dose, and nearly half (49%) are fully vaccinated.
- More than 91% of all CPS staff members are fully vaccinated.
Chicago is at low risk for COVID-19 by every metric, including the historic and current metrics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The city’s case counts and positivity are the lowest they have been since July 2021 and continue to fall. Chicago is now averaging just 191 cases of COVID-19 per day, among an average of more than 27,000 daily tests performed, giving a positivity rate of just 0.8%. CPS’ screening test positivity rate is dramatically lower than the city’s, at 0.14 percent.
The move to mask optional comes two years after the pandemic forced CPS and schools across the state to shut down.
Most school districts across the country have already transitioned to a mask-optional model. The City of Chicago removed the mask requirements for certain public spaces on Feb. 28 to align with the State of Illinois, and the CDC recently relaxed mask guidance for communities where hospitals aren’t under high strain.
Local News
Rashid scolds TV news orgs on climate change
Spread the love. From staff reports State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid (D-21st) recently scolded major news organizations for what he called a lack of attention to climate change. “Last year was marked by alarming climate extremes, from record-breaking heat waves to devastating floods, droughts and wildfires,” Rashid wrote earlier this month in a letter to his…
Biz groups battle over names, logos
Spread the love. UBAM, MCC trade barbs . By Dermot Connolly and Tim Hadac The leader of one Midway-area business association is accusing the other of bad faith, and the leader of the other is scratching her head over the dustup. United Business Association of Midway Executive Director Anita Cummings recently claimed that a rival…
Softball | Oak Lawn’s Kasey Jackson fans 5 in loss to Shepard
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent Oak Lawn entered its South Suburban Conference matchup with Shepard having won six of its last seven games. The Astros — even hotter with seven straight victories after beginning the season with three consecutive losses — cooled off the Spartans (8-5, 4-2 SSC) for a day, winning 3-0 behind…
Softball | Shepard blanks Oak Lawn behind CG from Kailey Selvage, 2 RBI from Madison Scapardine
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent Temperatures are not the only thing starting to warm up in the Southwest Suburbs. Shepard, which began the season with three consecutive losses, defeated Oak Lawn, 3-0, on April 15 to run its winning streak to seven games. Astros junior pitcher Kailey Selvage tossed a complete-game shutout, striking out…
County vets offer reduced-price vax clinics
Spread the love. From staff reports The Cook County Department of Animal and Rabies Control is running its annual Partners in Prevention clinics now through mid-October. ARC is partnering with local animal organizations to offer reduced-cost or free one-year rabies vaccinations, as well as microchips. The partnerships are designed to link pet owners to organizations…
Twisted Shamrock hosts Masters-inspired fun
Spread the love. The drive from Chicago to Augusta, Ga. (home of the 2024 Masters professional golf tournament) is more than 800 miles, but those unwilling to make the trek recently had the option of simply heading over to Twisted Shamrock Pub, 6462 S. Central, for some Masters-inspired fun on Sunday, April 14. Both golfers…
St. Laurence grad Brett Buzzelli hurling for Carroll
Spread the loveBy Mike Walsh Correspondent Carroll University senior right-hander Brett Buzzelli has been named the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin’s Pitcher of the Week for April 8. Buzzelli was the winning pitcher in an 8-3 victory over visiting Elmhurst University in Game 1 of a CCIW doubleheader. The St. Laurence graduate tossed seven…
Fire II wins, draws
Spread the loveBy Jef Vorva Correspondent The Chicago Fire FC II earned its first regulation victory of the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro season in a 2-0 clean sheet against Crown Legacy April 10 at SeatGeek Stadium. Defender Diego Konincks and captain David Poreba scored goals for the Fire. On April 14, the team had a…
Red Stars sans Swanson fall to Angel City
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Playing without scoring star Mallory Swanson, who was nursing a hip injury, the Chicago Red Stars lost for the first time this season, dropping a 1-0 decision April 13 to Angel City in front of an announced crowd of 3,168 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview. Angel City (1-2-1) started…
Neighbors
Capitol Briefs: Senate advances elections bill, measure targeting ‘predatory’ lending
By PETER HANCOCK & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A bill that would put more controls on certain kinds of high-cost loans to small businesses cleared the Illinois Senate Thursday. Senate Bill 2234, known as the Small Business Financial Transparency Act, targets a relatively new kind of nontraditional lender in the credit…
Law enforcement community honors fallen officers at Illinois Capitol
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Six fallen police officers were honored at an annual memorial service outside the State Capitol Thursday. The Illinois Police Officers Memorial occurs annually on the first Thursday of May to honor officers who died in the line of duty and to support their families. “No one…
Democrats muscle through changes to ballot access, advisory questions
By JERRY NOWICKI HANNAH MEISEL & PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Supermajority Democrats in the Illinois House moved quickly Wednesday to push through a change to state election laws that partially limits ballot access and adds three nonbinding referendums to the 2024 general election ballot. It’s a move that caused minority party…
After 3 years, state poised to enforce law aiming to end lending discrimination
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – In 1977, then-President Jimmy Carter signed into law the Community Reinvestment Act, a federal law that sought to wipe away the last vestiges of racial discrimination and redlining in America’s home mortgage industry. The idea was simple. By requiring lenders – primarily banks – to make…
Capitol News Illinois partners with ‘Illinois Lawmakers’ program to bring it back to air
Capitol News Illinois announced today it will produce the long-running “Illinois Lawmakers” program this spring, in partnership with longtime host and producer Jak Tichenor. “This new partnership is absolutely critical to providing Illinois residents with reliable, independent, in-depth, up to date coverage from the Illinois Capitol after many newspapers and broadcasters shuttered their Statehouse bureaus over…
Election officials to weigh whether Darren Bailey and GOP operative Dan Proft illegally coordinated
By ANDREW ADAMS & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – A year and a half after Republican Darren Bailey lost his campaign to challenge Gov. JB Pritzker, state election officials are weighing whether he illegally colluded with conservative radio show host and political operative Dan Proft in the 2022 campaign. The State Board…
Immigrant advocates tout new report showing benefits of state-funded health plans
By PETER HANCOCK and JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Immigrant rights advocates on Friday continued to push for one of their top budget priorities: full funding for state-run health care programs that benefit noncitizens, regardless of their immigration status. Those programs offer health coverage for low-income individuals who would otherwise qualify for…
As state continues to inventory lead pipes, full replacement deadlines are decades away
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois Clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com Lead pipes in public water systems and drinking fixtures have been banned in new construction since 1986, when Congress amended the Safe Drinking Water Act, but they are still in use across the U.S. and in Illinois. The presence of lead pipes has persisted due in part to…
Capitol Briefs: State unveils report on racial disparities among homeless populations
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com Tackling homelessness requires addressing racial injustice, according to a new report commissioned by the state’s Office to Prevent and End Homelessness. The report found that Black people are eight times more likely to experience homelessness than white people. Remedying this disparity, according to the report, would require “long-term…
Flooding is Illinois’ Most Threatening Natural Disaster. Are We Prepared?
by Meredith Newman, Illinois Answers Project April 16, 2024 This story was originally published by the Illinois Answers Project. The electricity in Mary Buchanan’s home in West Garfield Park was not working – again. The outage lasted four days, starting just after a crew dug up her front lawn to install a check valve in…