Westmont, IL-- Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery released the following statement on Chicago Public Schools' decision to start the 2020-2021 school year remotely:
"We applaud the Chicago Teachers Union for their continued dedication to students, teachers, and the community. Their commitment to equity and justice prevented Chicago schools from becoming COVID-19 hot spots. "COVID-19 lifted the veil on the disparities that exist among our students and families, especially our Black and Brown students, who have been disproportionately impacted by the virus. The decision to start the 2020 school year remotely presents many challenges, but it is the safest path for our students, teachers, and staff as COVID-19 cases are surging in Chicago. This moment requires stability and equity for our families and children, so we call on the Chicago Public Schools to provide wide broadband access and devices. We acknowledge that remote learning will create logistical and financial challenges for thousands of Chicago parents. For this reason, we continue to ask that all educational institutions work to identify the families that need childcare and work to provide opportunities with local partners and organizations in helping fill gaps during the instructional day. "We call on Illinois school districts to follow Chicago’s lead and base their decision on science. In the current environment, the safest option for students and staff is to start school remotely."