Chicago mayor, teachers still at odds over COVID protocols

By KATHLEEN FOODY
Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — Closed-door negotiations have resumed Saturday to resolve a standoff between Chicago school officials and the city’s teachers union over COVID-19 precautions that canceled three days of classes this week. But the public war-of-words between union leaders and Chicago’s mayor showed little sign of an imminent resolution. The Chicago Teachers Union wants remote learning until there’s an agreement or the latest COVID-19 surge subsides, but district leaders say remote instruction was devastating for children and their well-being. Both sides have been negotiating a pandemic safety plan, including more standards for testing and metrics that could trigger school closures.