Chicago schools reopen doors after tough union fight

CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago parents Willie and Brittany Preston have spent almost a year wrestling with online school schedules for their six children, often with everyone hovering over devices around the dining room table.

On Thursday, they got some relief. Their youngest daughter, 4-year-old Lear, returned to class with thousands of others in pre-K and special education as the nation’s third-largest school district slowly reopened its doors following a bitter fight with the teachers union over COVID-19 protocols.

Willie Preston, who runs a construction firm with his wife, said nowhere can guarantee a coronavirus-free environment but he feels safe with the district’s steps: cleaned buildings, daily health screenings and new air filters.

“We just are not trained educators and we recognize our limitations,” he said. “For me as a parent, it makes me feel like we’re beating COVID and we’re going to get our lives back. And that’s good.’’

Three more of his children will return in the coming weeks as part of the district's gradual reopening for pre-K-8. The Chicago Teachers Union accepted the plan after defying district orders, city threats to lock them out of teaching systems, and talk of a potential strike.

Under the deal, Chicago will set aside 1,500 vaccinations weekly for teachers after an initial 2,000 doses for those returning first. There are also metrics allowing for schools to shut down when infections spike, for instance outbreaks in multiple classrooms over a short period.

Preston’s two high school children will keep learning online at their South Side home. The district hasn’t rolled out a plan for high school students' return.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot insisted that schools reopen, an argument that's played out nationwide as cities grapple...