CHICAGO — As Chicago Public Schools planned return to the classroom grows closer, the Chicago Teachers Union claims few parents and students actually want to be in the classroom.

A new poll commissioned by the Chicago Teacher’s Union finds more than six out of 10 Chicago voters prefer to stick with remote learning while COVID-19 community infection rates are still high.

More specifically, the poll found 75 percent of black, 85 percent of Latinx and 55 percent of white respondents reject a rush to reopen.

CPS announced last month that preschoolers and special education students would be back in class January 11and all elementary school students would follow February 1.^.  High schoolers would remain on remote learning.

“We know that there is no replacement for in person learning,” Lightfoot said. “For me it’s the science and equity going side-by-side and our kids need to be back in school.”

Jitu Brown is the National Director of Journey for Justice Alliance and a parent of CPS a 7^th grader.  He said a group of education activists across the country submitted a plan to CPS for safely reopening school back in august but they have yet to hear back.

“You can’t talk about equity from the seats of privilege,” Brown said. “We need to be one of the chefs and not just on the menu.”

CPS said it has had dozens of meeting with CTU and the union has had ample time to provide written proposals or improvements to its current plan, but hasn’t done so.

CTU Vice President Stacy Davis Gates said she hopes a mediation session with the Illinois Education Labor Relations Board will help iron out the differences.