Chicago Teachers Union forced to backpedal after claiming push to reopen schools ‘rooted in sexism’
The Chicago Teachers Union has revised its position on reopening schools amid the coronavirus pandemic, after Twitter mocked the organization for appearing to argue that anyone who supports the idea is a woman-hating bigot.
The union, which represents 28,000 educators working in Illinois city, left little room for misunderstanding when it wrote in a now-deleted tweet: "The push to reopen schools is rooted in sexism, racism and misogyny."
.@CTULocal1 deleted their tweet. pic.twitter.com/YpPKdhOCzb
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) December 6, 2020
The organization didn’t elaborate on its provocative statement, but the one-line zinger quickly spread across Twitter, catching the attention of woke warriors and anti-PC crusaders alike.
Grant Addison, the deputy editor of the DC Examiner, quipped that the puzzling outburst suggests that the teacher’s union probably doesn’t enjoy teaching that much.
Some people really don’t like doing their jobs https://t.co/VRVtpcvuX6
— Grant Addison (@jgrantaddison) December 6, 2020
Similar replies said that the push to keep schools closed in the city was likely motivated by “laziness and self-interest.”
We need to point out the problem here. These teachers like being in PJs all day long more than they love their profession.
— Beatrice Cardenas (@RealBetyCardens) December 7, 2020
Not everyone jeered the union’s theory, however. One Twitter user suggested that the debate about reopening schools was steeped in “white supremacy.”
Facing considerable backlash, the union eventually removed the divisive tweet, and acknowledged in a follow-up message that the topic requires “nuance.”
It’s still unclear what the union meant by its original tweet. According to some reports, the pitfalls of remote learning hurts minority children the most and will further worsen racial and economic inequality.
Fair enough. Complex issue. Requires nuance. And much more discussion. More important, the people the decision affects deserve more. So we’ll continue give them that. Appreciate the feedback of those truly in the struggle.
— ChicagoTeachersUnion (@CTULocal1) December 6, 2020
Shuttering schools and turning to online learning has been one of the most controversial Covid-19 measures to be adopted by governments around the world. While some have argued schools should stay closed, many health experts have argued that the social benefits of keeping schools open far outweigh any potential risks of transmission.
Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said last week that he advocated for in-person learning, citing evidence that schools aren’t a major spreader of the virus.
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