Chicago Mayor Lightfoot slams teachers’ union for ‘illegal walk-out,’ rejects proposal for remote learning

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot again lambasted the city’s teachers’ union Sunday for refusing to show up for classes after she rejected a proposal to resume remote learning instead of getting kids back into schools. 

As no agreement for a return to in-person instruction has been reached, Lightfoot lambasted the Chicago Teacher’s Union during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet The Press” Sunday.

“Fundamentally what we cannot do is abandon the science. We know that the safest place for kids to be is in-person learning in schools,” Lightfoot told host Chuck Todd. “And we’ve spent hundreds of millions of dollars to make our schools safe. They are safe. We’ve got the data to demonstrate that. We’ve gotta get the teacher’s union to get real and get serious about getting back into in-person learning.”

CHICAGO MAYOR LIGHTFOOT BLASTS TEACHERS UNION OVER SCHOOL CLOSINGS: TRYING TO ‘POLITICIZE’ PANDEMIC 

“To be clear, what the Chicago Teacher’s Union did was an illegal walk-out. They abandoned their posts and they abandoned kids and their families,” the mayor continued. “My team has been working every single day. They’re back at it again here Sunday.” 

“We’re working like the dickens to make sure we get a deal done today,” Lightfoot responded, when asked directly if schools would resume Monday morning. “So I remain hopeful”

Lightfoot said she’s seen “an unprecedented level of parent activism all in support of return to in-person learning” in reaction to the recent walk-out compared to past action taken by the teachers’ union. 

“Parents are outraged, and they are making their outrage known to the teacher’s union. This is a very different dynamic than ever before,” Lightfoot said, pointing to how 70% or more of our kids in the school district qualify for free or…