Skip to content
  • Subscribe
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Email
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
  • Features
  • Subscribe FREE to Ray Hanania’s Columns
  • Advertise
Suburban Chicagoland

Suburban Chicagoland

Original News, Features & Opinion

  • About
    • About
    • Advertise
    • Our Writers
      • Ray Hanania
      • Bill Lipinski
      • Aaron Hanania
      • Steve Metsch
      • Steve Neuhaus
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
    • Reach Out
    • Submit a Press Release
  • Sections
    • Events
    • Opinion
    • News
    • Features
    • Seniors
    • Comic Strip
  • Library
    • “MIdnight Flight” Online Book
      • Midnight Flight Book Overview
      • Midnight Flight Introduction
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 1
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 2
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 3
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 4
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 5
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 6
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 7
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 8
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 9
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 10
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 11
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 12
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 13
    • Villages, Cities & Towns
    • Federal Office Holders
    • County Officials
    • Legislators
  • Seniors
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
  • Comment
  • Podcast
    • Two Guys on Politics Podcast: A Centrist View on Politics
    • Two Guys on Politics
    • Ray Hanania on Politics Podcast
    • The Arab street Podcast
  • Hanania on Tiktok
  • Toggle search form
  • Orland First Responders candidates Matthew G. Rafferty and William Bonnar Jr.
    First Responders announce candidacies for Orland Fire District Board seats Cook County
  • D230 students win prestigious art awards Education
  • Alderman Raymond Lopez would have made a great mayor Blogger
  • Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar
    Cook County Announces Call for Transportation and Community Grant Program Applications Business
  • Inappropriate Illinois license plates
    New Secretary of State reaffirms rejection of inappropriate license plates Chicago
  • Justice Department Health Care Fraud Unit
    Chicago Man Convicted of Participating in Illegal Kickback Conspiracy Chicago
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas receives the American Arab Chamber of Commerce 2021 Action Award for her support of Arab and Muslim Americans, returning more than $1.3 million to Arab and Muslim taxpayers.
    Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas refunding more than $47 million to homeowners Cook County
  • money $20 dollar bill, dollars, cash
    Buckner unveils plan to help businesses and strengthen job Business
  • Chicago Mayoral candidate Kam Buckner 2023
    Buckner slams Garcia, Johnson and Lightfoot for Crypto hypocrisies, supports probes Chicago
  • Fighting oppressive taxes in Cook County Editors Pick
  • Elizabeth "Liz" Doody Gorman
    Suburbs lose a great leader in Liz Gorman Blogger
  • Elizabeth "Liz" Doody Gorman
    Liz Gorman brings sanity and services back to Cook County Board Blogger
  • Alexi Giannoulias, former Illinois state treasurer and candidate for Illinois Secretary of State
    Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias releases comprehensive Transition Team report Government
  • Assault weapons, courtesy of WIkipedia
    Pritzker’s assault weapons ban not enough to make law abiding citizens safe Blogger
  • Paul Vallas candidate for Chicago Mayor 2023. Photo courtesy of the Paul Vallas website
    Vallas urges probe in Lightfoot’s CPD scandal and accuses of Congressman Garcia of being AWOL from Chicagoland needs Chicago
Lincoln Park High school

Chicago leaders and legislators urge safer return for Chicago school students

Posted on August 22, 2021August 22, 2021 By Ray Hanania No Comments on Chicago leaders and legislators urge safer return for Chicago school students
SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  

Chicago leaders and legislators urge safer return for Chicago school students

As members of the General Assembly and City Council who represent Chicago communities, including some of us who are parents or guardians of CPS students, we submit the following recommendations to aid in maintaining the highest level of health safety as teachers, staff, administrators, and families prepare for the resumption of full-time, in-person instruction this Fall.

Our position is informed by families who have reached out to our offices registering concerns, the acknowledgment of the compounding stress especially experienced by working families and families living at the margins who are struggling to maintain efforts, and educators and support staff who have heroically kept the system together through remote, hybrid, and in-person learning over the last year and a half.

The Delta Variant of COVID-19 has demonstrated its stronger transmission among unvaccinated young people and we are deeply concerned that Chicago Public Schools’ current plan for students and staff to return to school buildings rolls back many important safety mitigation standards that can undermine the district’s objective of increasing equity for students especially in light of an ever-changing pandemic that is increasingly harming younger age groups.

Chicago Alderman Silvana Tabares, 23rd Ward
Chicago Alderman Silvana Tabares, 23rd Ward

Facilitating a safer return to full in-person learning that can also foster greater trust of families and educators alike, we respectfully urge CPS to take the following steps:

  • Listen and act upon educator and family feedback on the significant challenges posed by simultaneous learning. For educators to juggle both remote and in-person students is a disservice to both groups from a standpoint of rarely producing positive academic outcomes and increasing unnecessary cognitive load on the educator. A potential solution could be to match the cohorts of students that have chosen the virtual academy remote option solely with educators and support staff who also are unable to teach in-person due to medical reasons.
  • Do not roll back social distancing, quarantine, and contact tracing protocols at this time. Keep unvaccinated students apart more than the proposed three feet. If an outbreak occurs in a classroom or multiple classrooms in a school, all students and staff exposed to a person who is exhibiting symptoms and/or tests positive should trigger quarantine protocols, regardless of the exposed persons’ vaccination status. That would mean if there is a confirmed case in a class, all students could revert to remote learning for up to 14 days.
  • Thousands of students are unaccounted for or presumed to be disengaged. We need more than our current level of outreach. Implement additional proposed student home visit programs year-round to continually re-engage families and support improved attendance. An excellent place to start would be to leverage existing partnerships with community-based organizations, social service agencies and current staff including school clerks, paraprofessionals and teachers to door-knock in their respective school communities. They are known and trusted messengers.
  • Recognize that our students have gone through multiple traumas in the past two years and provide them the adequate number of qualified adult professionals for their readjustment and age appropriate transition back to in-person education. This means allocating funds for additional hiring above and beyond collective bargaining agreements of essential clinicians, special education teachers, and support personnel like paraprofessionals. These workers are the gears in the machine that will keep our students learning, thriving, and adjusting to a new reality.
Lincoln Park High School (Chicago, IL, USA) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Finally, we believe that the current plans for the resumption of full in-person instruction will be improved through greater collaboration with community partners and parents, as well as an updated agreement between CPS and its labor partners based on guidance from the Illinois State Board of Education. Our city’s educators and support staff are on the front lines and know first-hand the challenges that students are facing. They should be a co-equal partner in crafting a reopening plan that is feasible and sustainable to prevent burnout during these challenging times, and ultimately safe to preserve life and well-being of thousands of Chicagoans.

We are deeply concerned by the consistent testimony from educators expressing their profound frustration with the status quo and how it hinders their ability to do their job along with families’ growing demands about ensuring their children’s safety. An effective reopening plan is anchored in collaboration with all stakeholders, radical transparency, and clear and regular communication to achieve the collective goals and foster public trust. To that end, CPS needs true buy-in from and collaboration with parents, communities, and organized labor. We believe that CPS can achieve this, and stand ready to assist however we can.

Sincerely,

Maria Hadden, Alderwoman, 49th Ward
Cristina Pacione-Zayas, State Senator, 20th District

Daniel LaSpata, Alderman 1st Ward
Brian Hopkins, Alderman 2nd Ward
Sophia King, Alderman 4th Ward
Leslie Hairston, Alderwoman 5th Ward
Rod Sawyer, Alderman 6th Ward
Anthony Beale, Alderman 9th Ward
Stephanie Coleman, Alderwoman 16th Ward
David Moore Alderman 17th Ward
Derrick Curtis, Alderman 18th Ward
Jeanette Taylor, Alderwoman 20th Ward
Michael Rodriguez, Alderman 22nd Ward
Silvana Tabares, Alderwoman 23rd Ward
Byron Sigcho Lopez, Alderman, 25th Ward
Roberto Maldonado, Alderman 26th Ward
Felix Cardona, Alderman 31st Ward
Rosanna Rodriguez Sanchez, Alderwoman 33rd Ward
Carrie Austin, Alderwoman 34th Ward
Carlos Ramirez Rosa, Alderman 35th Ward
Gilbert Villegas, Alderman 36th Ward
Emma Mitts, Alderwoman 37th Ward
Andre Vasquez, Alderman 40th Ward
Matt Martin, Alderman 47th Ward

Aaron Ortiz, State Representative, 1st District
Theresa Mah, State Representative, 2nd District
Eva-Dina Delgado, State Representative, 3rd District
Delia Ramirez, State Representative, 4th District
Lamont Robinson, State Representative, 5th District
Sonya Harper, State Representative, 6th District
Lakesia Collins, State Representative, 9th District
Kelly Cassidy, State Representative 14th District
Lindsey LaPointe, State Representative, 19th District
Edgar Gonzalez, State Representative, 21st District
Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar, State Representative, 22nd District
Kambium “Kam” Buckner, State Representative, 26th District
Justin Slaughter, State Representative 27th District
Marcus Evans, State Representative, 33rd District
Will Guzzardi, State Representative, 39th District
Jaime Andrade Jr., State Representative, 40th District

Omar Aquino, State Senator, 2nd District
Mattie Hunter, State Senator, 3rd District
Patricia Van Pelt, State Senator, 5th District
Mike Simmons, State Senator, 7th District
Ram Villivalam, State Senator, 8th District
Celina Villanueva, State Senator, 11th District
Robert Martwick, State Senator, 10th District
Robert Peters, State Senator 13th District
Jacqueline Collins, State Senator, 16th District

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.  

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

Email Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com.

Follow RayHanania on Gettr.com, the uncensored Twitter Ray Hanania on Gettr, the new Twitter
Ray Hanania
Latest posts by Ray Hanania (see all)
  • D230 students win prestigious art awards - January 26, 2023
  • Alderman Raymond Lopez would have made a great mayor - January 26, 2023
  • Hurley Named Chair of Police and Fire Committee - January 25, 2023
  • Tweet

SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  
 
 
 
           
Chicago, coronavirus, Education, Government, Health, News Tags:call for safer schools, Chicago leaders, Chicago Public schools, Coronavirus, COVID, Delta Variant of COVID, elementary school, face masks, High school, legislators, Pandemic, safer return for Chicago school children, social distancing, students

Post navigation

Previous Post: Cristina Nonato seeks seat on Water Reclamation District board
Next Post: Secretary of State Candidate David Moore urges donor awareness for minorities

Related Posts

  • Scottish Festival 2018, Itasca
    Chicagoland to celebrate Scottish culture and history Events
  • Bloomberg targets gun violence in his presidential bid Chicago
  • Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel
    Emanuel unveils Chicago’s first public arts plan Chicago
  • Home sales up in Chicago suburbs in April News
  • Orland Township sign
    O’Grady urges Orland Township residents to salute student graduates during virus restrictions breaking news
  • Ribbon cutting for the new SeatGeek Stadium renaming Thursday March 7, 2019. Photo courtesy of Rafa Alvarez/Chicago Fire Soccer Club
    Bridgeview venue renamed SeatGeek Stadium at Ribbon-cutting Editors Pick

More Related Articles

Rockford IceHogs beat Chicago Wolves Oct. 10, 2019 by a 3-2 score Wolves finish in style defeating Grand Rapids Griffins Chicago
Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash 16 members of St. Ignatius Hockey team injured, truck drive faces DUI charges Crime
Police image, Photo by Logan Weaver on Unsplash Bond Set at $1 Million for Man Charged with Attempt First Degree Murder at Children’s Indoor Amusement Park Chicago
Fishing tops firearms at new store News
Congressman Jesus "Chuy" Garcia 4th District Illinois Congress members Newman and Garcia introduce bill to make public transit more accessible Chicago
Suburban Chicagoland & The Future News newspaper advertisers News

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Login with your Social ID
  • OPINION COLUMNS
  • Alderman Raymond Lopez would have made a great mayor
    January 26, 2023
  • Assault weapons, courtesy of WIkipedia
    Pritzker’s assault weapons ban not enough to make law abiding citizens safe
    January 16, 2023
  • Lori Lightfoot speaking at Police Accountability Task Force hearing in 2016. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
    Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot must go
    January 15, 2023
  • William O. Lipinski former Congressman from Illinois (5th and later 3rd District). Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
    Right from the Middle: Return semi-conductor and chip-making industries to America
    January 15, 2023
  • William O. Lipinski former Congressman from Illinois (5th and later 3rd District). Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
    Right from the Middle: The China threat to Asia’s Democracy
    January 9, 2023
  • Harry and Patricia Michalski courtesy of their facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10105680464226180&set=t.100009314491026&type=3
    Remembering Pat Michalski who dedicated her life to diversity and fairness
    December 30, 2022

Subscribe

  • Ray-Hanania-Newsletter-300-wide-Banner.jpg

Trending

  • Lori Lightfoot speaking at Police Accountability Task Force hearing in 2016. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Chicago Mayor Lori Lightf... Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot must go Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has faile... posted on January 15, 2023
  • Paul Vallas candidate for Chicago Mayor 2023. Photo courtesy of the Paul Vallas website Vallas urges probe in Lig... Vallas urges probe in Lightfoot's CPD scandal and accuses of Congressman Ga... posted on January 16, 2023
  • Chicago Mayoral candidate Kam Buckner 2023 Black and Latinx Elected... Black and Latinx Elected Officials Unite Against the Chaos Caused by Mayor... posted on January 8, 2023
  • money $20 dollar bill, dollars, cash First Installment Cook Co... First Installment Cook County property taxes due date pushed to April 3 Coo... posted on January 4, 2023
  • Alexi Giannoulias, former Illinois state treasurer and candidate for Illinois Secretary of State Secretary of State Alexi... Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias releases comprehensive Transition Team... posted on January 17, 2023
  • NEWS
  • Orland First Responders candidates Matthew G. Rafferty and William Bonnar Jr.
    First Responders announce candidacies for Orland Fire District Board seats
    January 31, 2023
  • D230 students win prestigious art awards
    January 26, 2023
  • State Rep Fran Hurley 35th district
    Hurley Named Chair of Police and Fire Committee
    January 25, 2023
  • Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar
    Cook County Announces Call for Transportation and Community Grant Program Applications
    January 23, 2023
  • Inappropriate Illinois license plates
    New Secretary of State reaffirms rejection of inappropriate license plates
    January 23, 2023
  • Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash
    Arrest and Criminal Charges Announced Against British and Russian Businessmen for Facilitating Sanctions Evasion of Russian Oligarch’s $90 Million Yacht
    January 23, 2023
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png

The Political Pundit

Political Pundit Aug. 24, 2021. Taliban thanks president for boxes of MAGA hats
  • WORD PRESS REVIEWS
  • MyCloud by Western Digital, a hard drive that doesn't last. Don't purchase Western Digital.
    Western Digital tubes its loyal customers for profit
    October 17, 2021
  • Macho Themes website front page. Don't buy their themes. They don't work
    Difficulties with Macho Themes for WordPress
    August 21, 2021
  • TECHNOLOGY REVIEWS
  • William O. Lipinski former Congressman from Illinois (5th and later 3rd District). Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
    Right from the Middle: Return semi-conductor and chip-making industries to America
    January 15, 2023
  • William O. Lipinski former Congressman from Illinois (5th and later 3rd District). Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
    Right from the Middle: The China threat to Asia’s Democracy
    January 9, 2023
  • Sam Bankman-Fried in an interview during the Bitcoin 2021 conference. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
    Demands continue for Lightfoot and Garcia to detail ties to FTX scandal
    December 15, 2022

Follow Ray Hanania at
Gab.com, MeWe.com
IDobbinate.com,
Twitter, Facebook

Creative Commons License
All works on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

What We’re Reading

Arab News Newspaper Leading English Language Publication in the GulfArab News Newspaper

Ray Hanania on Politics
SW News Newspaper Group

  • SPORTS
  • Chicago Wolves 2022-2023 season
    Chicago Wolves top Stars for second win in a row
    October 25, 2022
  • Stagg Marching Band Pit Crew as efficient as a NASCAR pit stop! The team that does a lot of the work to help the Stagg High school band perform works behind the scenes like a NASCAR pit stop. The students are profiled in this feature
    Stagg Marching Band Pit Crew as efficient as a NASCAR pit stop!
    August 31, 2022
  • Soccer. Photo by Md Mahdi on Unsplash
    International soccer returns to SeatGeek Stadium
    August 7, 2022
  • Stefan Noesen, Chicago Wolves
    Chicago Wolves Noesen wins President’s Award
    July 22, 2022
  • NEWS RELEASES
  • Orland First Responders candidates Matthew G. Rafferty and William Bonnar Jr.
    First Responders announce candidacies for Orland Fire District Board seats
    January 31, 2023
  • Paul Vallas candidate for Chicago Mayor 2023. Photo courtesy of the Paul Vallas website
    Paul Vallas demands Lightfoot explain email scandal, and use of government resources for political campaign
    January 12, 2023
  • David Crowley, Milwaukee County Executive. Photo courtesy of Milwaukee County
    Milwaukee County sells 90 lots for single family homes
    January 11, 2023
  • Paul Vallas candidate for Chicago Mayor 2023. Photo courtesy of the Paul Vallas website
    Chicago’s Police Officers Endorse Paul Vallas for Mayor
    January 9, 2023
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas. Photo courtesy of the Cook County government
    Pappas: Cook County property taxes due by December 30
    December 28, 2022
John Kass Columns

Order the book PoweR PR; Ethnic Activists Guide to Strategic Communications

  • BUSINESS NEWS
  • Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar
    Cook County Announces Call for Transportation and Community Grant Program Applications
    January 23, 2023
  • money $20 dollar bill, dollars, cash
    Buckner unveils plan to help businesses and strengthen job
    January 19, 2023
  • United Airlines Flight at O'Hare Airport
    United offers endless airline travel problems for travelers
    December 25, 2022
  • Sam Bankman-Fried in an interview during the Bitcoin 2021 conference. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
    Demands continue for Lightfoot and Garcia to detail ties to FTX scandal
    December 15, 2022

YOUTUBE VIDEOS

Click this link to watch or use the widget below:

Click here to view the video on YouTube or use the widget below.
Email Ray Hanania for more information about performing at your event at rghanania@gmail.com.

Copyright © 2022 Suburban Chicagoland & Urban Strategies Group

Powered by PressBook Premium theme