Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Monday outlined a plan for “remote learning” — including the distribution of lap-top computers to needy students — leaving one aldermen to conclude that Chicago Public Schools students have attended their last day of in-person classes this academic year.
“They’re doing remote learning for the rest of the year. … We have no expectation of them going back,” Ald. Ray Lopez (15th) told the Sun-Times after a conference call with the mayor.
Pressed on whether Lightfoot said students would not return to school buildings for the rest of the year, Lopez said, “I don’t know if that was the exact words. But, that’s the implication— that the rest of the school year will be remote learning. I don’t know why they’d have to go back if they’re all learning at home.”
Gov. J.B. Pritzker has closed all public and private schools statewide through April 7. Lightfoot has extended the closing for CPS schools through April 20.
But Lopez said Monday’s conference call with the mayor made it clear that a school year already shortened by a teachers strike now faces major challenges.
The mayor’s remote learning plan calls for laptop computers to be distributed to students, based on need, according to a recent survey of principals. CPS teachers will provide assistance to students for four hours each day.
“We already have students who are two or three weeks behind now who are struggling already, particularly in neighborhoods on the South and West Side. They’ve gotten no instruction. We’re going to give them a laptop that a majority of them may not be able to use and hope for them to be able to continue to educate themselves with or without their parents’ assistance. With or without a laptop that works,” Lopez said.
“If the laptop doesn’t work or they don’t get one, they’ll be given printed materials of a lesser rigor to keep them occupied until the end of the year. That is extremely worrisome to me because that will put my disadvantaged students at an even greater learning disadvantage almost guaranteeing that they will be collectively one full year behind the rest of the city when COVID-19 is no more.”
Lopez said both he and Ald. Jason Ervin (28th), chairman of the City Council’s Black Caucus, asked the mayor what she intended to do for those students who do not have access to the internet at home.
“The mayor’s response was, we’re going to work with carriers to see what we can do to try and get them to provide internet to families who don’t have that while not asking them to shoulder the financial burden,” Lopez said.
“They’re doing remote learning for the rest of the year. … We have no expectation of them going back,” Ald. Ray Lopez (15th) told the Sun-Times after a conference call with the mayor.
Pressed on whether Lightfoot said the rest of the school year would be cancelled, Lopez said, “I don’t know if that was the exact words. But, that’s the implication—that the rest of the school year will be remote learning. I don’t know why they’d have to go back if they’re all learning at home.”
Lightfoot and Schools CEO Janice Jackson are scheduled to outline the remote learning plan at an afternoon news conference at City Hall.
