About this episode
Chicago Public Schools students will return to classes Wednesday, now that the district and the Chicago Teachers Union have reached a tentative deal. Students went nearly a full week of no instruction while the union and the city clashed over COVID safety protocols. The deal promises increased COVID testing for students and school-based metrics for remote learning, but it fell short of the union's proposal to require opt-out testing for students and a district-wide remote learning metric. The agreement still needs to be approved by union members. The deal didn't keep Mayor Lori Lightfoot or union leaders from continuing to trade harsh words Monday night. And this is just the latest in a long and arduous line of fights between the mayor and CTU. Chicago Sun-Times education reporter Nader Issa explains the three major labor disputes between the Mayor and the union since since Lightfoot took office in 2019. Guest: Nader Issa —Reporter, Chicago Sun-Times Some Good News: Free days at the Shedd Aquarium. Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm