The debate on whether or not to reopen schools has turned into a largely partisan dispute.
Most conservatives and Republicans are acknowledging data which shows that children’s transmission and infection rates of COVID-19 are drastically low, even when in school settings.
Meanwhile, Americans with leftist and liberal leanings argue that reopening schools is reckless and dangerous; this argument persists from Democrats even as children suffer mentally, emotionally, psychologically, and socially from shutdowns.
For the most part, teachers’ unions in the United States tend to be left-leaning, hence opposed to the reopening of classrooms. However, Breitbart News documents that the Chicago Teachers Union is presently facing backlash for its rhetoric on “the push to reopen schools.”
Why the Chicago Teachers Union Wants to Keep Schools Closed
The Chicago Teachers Union went beyond merely calling for schools to remain shut down. This week, the union took it upon themselves to file an injunction to halt January 11, 2021’s planned partial reopening of Chicago schools.
The January 11th "reopening" is only for "students in pre-K and cluster programs"
Elementary and middle school students aren't expected to return until February 1st.
— Corey A. DeAngelis (@DeAngelisCorey) December 7, 2020
The injunction arrived precisely one day after the Chicago Teachers Union declared via Twitter that “sexism, racism, and misogyny” are the driving forces behind calls to reopen schools and classrooms. For undisclosed reasons, the teachers’ union has since taken down this tweet; however, it’s been screenshotted and shared multiple times.
Teachers Unions vs. School Choice
The forces that support and compromise teachers’ unions have largely found themselves at odds with advocates of school choice; this divide, too, is not without its partisan, political undertones.
Advocates of school choice argue that each school should determine for themselves whether or not they wish to reopen. Meanwhile, teachers’ unions continue leading the charge to keep schools shut down; although, interestingly enough, the teachers who don’t wish to reopen still believe they should be given a salary, courtesy of taxpayers.
Schools should have the choice to reopen or not
Teachers should have the choice to return to work or not
But families need a choice too.
We should fund students directly and empower families.
— Corey A. DeAngelis (@DeAngelisCorey) December 7, 2020
The Chicago Teachers Union did not elaborate on why they view calls to reopen schools as racist, sexist, and misogynistic. However, as these unions support school closures and file injunctions to block reopenings, they’ve issued zero statements on the children suffering in the process.
Ongoing school closures also have negative impacts on parents who often have to make difficult choices between watching their kids or working to bring income into the household.
What do you think about the Chicago Teachers Union’s remarks on the push to get children back in schools? Are you supportive of or opposed to school choice? Let us know down in the comments section below!
