Chicago families speak, a .

“I’ve seen voices of Black & Latinx children & families coopted to support the union’s & district’s arguments.

Frankly, I’m tired of a predominantly-white union & predominantly-white administration telling me what minority children need.” @cbtobon

After chiding @LoriLightfoot @janicejackson for poor leadership, she calls out @CTULocal1 for “toxic rhetoric.”

“The union has capitalized on our and our teachers’ fears to deny science for their agenda” and “exploited fears to spread misinformation and lies.”

. @cbtobon calls out the union for “grossly dishonest” use of statistics, noting that 69% of students planning to return to schools are Black or Latinx.

Since @cbtobon points out that the other four largest districts in the country have successfully reopened, I'm just gonna leave this right here.

@MiamiSup is abundantly clear that reopening has been a success. https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/11/us/miami-dade-schools-open-coronavirus-wellness/index.html

80% of children who returned to schools this month were Black and brown, so @cbtobon is dismayed at union messaging that white, privileged parents seek reopening.

. @cbtobon also notes that the strike has historically low support by union members.

Across the US, we’re seeing more and more teachers break with their unions; you’ll find Chicago teachers in this thread: https://twitter.com/karenvaites/status/1354775340628008960

Willie Preston, dad of 6, also points out that 70% of students due to return are Black and brown.

“I am extremely disappointed by the guerilla organizing and misinformation” from @CTULocal1.

Preston notes that he’s a holistic labor supporter, but says unions are setting a bad example in this situation.

“I want the politicking of education to end.”

* historic labor supporter

His 4YO has already returned, and he thinks about long-term impacts of missed school.

Schools are “not day care centers, they are pillars of our community” and “stabilizing forces when quite frankly, we need all the stability we can get.”

An absolutely adorable seven year old gets on and charms us by using her teacher’s trick to gauge the group’s consensus.

Then she tells us how she sometimes gets frustrated, “and I don’t really know why. I throw things around and I hit things. And I don’t want to.”

This young man reminds us that teachers tell kids to look for evidence in inquiry projects. “I have listened to Dr. Fauci, and I believe the science.”

I have been wondering what this generation of children will think about labor unions after COVID, hearing the way his talk closes.

We also heard from a teacher who has returned, about how she is handling hybrid, and how she has become accustomed to it.