1 00:00:06,880 --> 00:00:10,040 Speaker 1: Welcome to it could happen here a podcast about things 2 00:00:10,080 --> 00:00:13,200 Speaker 1: falling apart, and today it's it's there, there's there's a 3 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:14,880 Speaker 1: little bit and I'm getting put back together, but today 4 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:18,239 Speaker 1: is mostly them falling apart. I'm your host, Christopher Wong. 5 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: With me, I have Lucy who is a teacher in 6 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:22,959 Speaker 1: Chicago public schools and as part of the Teachers Union, 7 00:00:23,079 --> 00:00:25,560 Speaker 1: and today we're going to be talking about just the 8 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:30,200 Speaker 1: absolute shit show that is being inflicted on teachers and 9 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:33,600 Speaker 1: students in public schools. And Lucy, how how are you? 10 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:37,519 Speaker 1: How are you doing? Um? You know, it's it's been 11 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 1: kind of weird, but all in all, I'm in good spirits. 12 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:44,800 Speaker 1: I think my sisters and brothers and c to you 13 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:47,680 Speaker 1: are in good spirits. So we're going to keep fighting 14 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:51,880 Speaker 1: the good fight. Yeah. So, before before we fully start 15 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:56,800 Speaker 1: to get into the teachers Union and Lord Lightfoot's fuckery, 16 00:00:57,000 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 1: I want to sort of get a bit of context 17 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:01,320 Speaker 1: for people who don't live in Chicago or just don't 18 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:04,760 Speaker 1: know much about the only politics because LORI, like you know, 19 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:07,360 Speaker 1: if if you read sort of like media accounts of this, 20 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:09,800 Speaker 1: like you, you, you you may be sort of misled 21 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 1: into into thinking that there's like even some semblance of 22 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:16,120 Speaker 1: good faith going on here from Lord Lightfoot, and like 23 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:18,039 Speaker 1: I just I just want to like do a great 24 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 1: like a Lord Lightfoot Greatest hits real for a second. 25 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:24,560 Speaker 1: So Lightfoot like immediately after she got elected, like the 26 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:27,000 Speaker 1: like the first thing she does is she she's she 27 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:29,760 Speaker 1: literally she's like, Okay, there's too much crime on the subway. 28 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:32,120 Speaker 1: We're gonna put swat teams on them. And so you know, 29 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:33,160 Speaker 1: you just be on the red lighte and there's a 30 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:35,800 Speaker 1: wat team and you know, because again this is what 31 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:37,959 Speaker 1: happens when you put a swat team on the fucking subway. 32 00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:40,559 Speaker 1: They immediately shot a dude in the back for nothing, 33 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 1: you just literally no reason. They shot him in the back. Um. 34 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:46,520 Speaker 1: So that that was like that was like like the 35 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:50,160 Speaker 1: first like few weeks of Lightfoot. And then during the uprising, 36 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: she like she she turned the rich party of Chicago 37 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 1: and she's like a medieval castle like she like like 38 00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:58,400 Speaker 1: like raised all the drawbridges into the middle of the 39 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:00,560 Speaker 1: city so that no one could get into central part 40 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:02,920 Speaker 1: of the city. It was like awful. And then you 41 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:05,520 Speaker 1: know then as as as we sort of like there 42 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:09,600 Speaker 1: there's more and more sort of bad lightfoot stuff. Most recently, 43 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 1: so Chicago got a bunch of aid money from the 44 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:16,760 Speaker 1: federal government and she spent two and one million dollars 45 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:21,160 Speaker 1: of it paying the police, not the schools. Yeah, nope. 46 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:26,480 Speaker 1: And CPD like these Again, I think I talked about 47 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:29,840 Speaker 1: this before, but like when when the CIA was like 48 00:02:29,919 --> 00:02:33,080 Speaker 1: our initial torturing program failed, where do we go to 49 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:34,760 Speaker 1: like find people who know how to torture? They brought 50 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:37,799 Speaker 1: into Chicago Police Detective like and you know, and and 51 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 1: this is the the CPD, Like like like there's there's two 52 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:42,160 Speaker 1: half a CPD. Right, there's there's like the torture CPD. 53 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:45,359 Speaker 1: And then related to them but not necessarily identical is 54 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 1: the part of the CPD that's just a cartel. Like there, 55 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 1: there's there's a thing in in at the beginning of 56 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:54,079 Speaker 1: the tens were like it turned out that like the 57 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 1: almost like the huge parts of the CPD were literally 58 00:02:56,639 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 1: just a cartel. They're running drugs. They were just like 59 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:03,359 Speaker 1: doing shakedown for and and like one person total, like 60 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:05,480 Speaker 1: you got arrested by the FBI for and everyone else 61 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:07,400 Speaker 1: is just still there. It's great, it's a it's a 62 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:10,120 Speaker 1: time so that this is this is who Lorrie Lightfoot is, um, 63 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:13,000 Speaker 1: she sucks. Like everyone hates her like like her. The 64 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:16,120 Speaker 1: people who should be her political allies hate her. Like 65 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 1: Chicago Chargo got like a police reform bill, and the 66 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:20,519 Speaker 1: reason it was like a very mild one. But the 67 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:23,959 Speaker 1: reason it happened was just that, like like the like 68 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 1: the Alderman passed it out of just pure spite because 69 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 1: of how much they don't like Lightfoot. So this is 70 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:32,200 Speaker 1: this is the this has been My Christopher shouts that 71 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 1: Lord Lightfoot intruded this. But yeah, Needles is say, Lightfoot 72 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:40,760 Speaker 1: not acting in good faith, just absolutely batman villain. Yeah, 73 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:46,360 Speaker 1: it's incredible. No, actually that's not fair because a lot 74 00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:53,360 Speaker 1: of Batman villains are kind of right. Yeah, yeah, she she's, she's, she's. 75 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 1: She's like the nightmare refusion of like Batman and a 76 00:03:55,880 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 1: Batman villain, Like what if what if you like the 77 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:03,640 Speaker 1: worst aspects of both and made them The Mayor's Yeah, 78 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:10,040 Speaker 1: I've been kind of Um so I moved here almost 79 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:15,680 Speaker 1: a year ago from a smaller city, and I did 80 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 1: not like the mayor in my city, and he really 81 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:20,479 Speaker 1: was a big fan of like the Lory light Foot playbook. 82 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 1: But um, I guess people weren't as politically involved there, 83 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 1: and my first week working in Chicago Public schools UM, 84 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:37,400 Speaker 1: somebody mentioned the mayor mentioned Laurie, and everybody kind of groaned, 85 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:40,280 Speaker 1: and I was like, oh, you don't like her, you 86 00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:42,799 Speaker 1: don't like your mayor, And I mean I knew they didn't, 87 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:45,360 Speaker 1: but I was just kind of testing the waters. And 88 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:47,680 Speaker 1: this lady looks at me and goes, we hate her. 89 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:52,679 Speaker 1: I swear, like, if you mentioned her name in this city, 90 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:56,040 Speaker 1: people practically spit on the ground. It's like, it's amazing 91 00:04:56,040 --> 00:04:59,120 Speaker 1: because like you mentioned a demon. Yeah, it's like like 92 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 1: Chicago to cogunitoriously, we all hate our politicians. But like Lightfoot, 93 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:06,920 Speaker 1: like like that there were you would find rama Manuel 94 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:11,440 Speaker 1: supporters right, Like I don't know a single lord like 95 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:14,480 Speaker 1: outside of the schools, within the schools, everyone I know. 96 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:17,720 Speaker 1: It's like even even the even the cops don't like her, 97 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:20,800 Speaker 1: Like she keeps she keeps funneling hundreds of billions of 98 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:22,920 Speaker 1: dollars into them, and they still don't like her. It's like, 99 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 1: it's incredible. Do you unite the teachers union and the 100 00:05:26,279 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: police union one something that's the only thing that they've 101 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:33,920 Speaker 1: ever agreed on is fuck Lory Lightfoot it's really incredible. 102 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:40,160 Speaker 1: So life, whatoot's latest scheme? Um, yeah, do you want 103 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:43,760 Speaker 1: to explain? I guess go back a little bit in 104 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:48,640 Speaker 1: in into the history of sort of how how Chicago 105 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:53,120 Speaker 1: and Chicago Public schools have kind of been responding to 106 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 1: COVID and then how they just did this stuff, and yeah, 107 00:05:57,200 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 1: I guess, like, yeah, give us a background, like what's 108 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:03,560 Speaker 1: going on. Well, I'm going to preface with two things. One, 109 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:07,120 Speaker 1: I am fairly new here, so I don't know all 110 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 1: of the details. And two, I really want to emphasize 111 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:12,760 Speaker 1: that I'm just here talking for myself. I don't represent 112 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:17,080 Speaker 1: CTU in any way. This is just I wanted to 113 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:21,680 Speaker 1: talk about my feelings on things. So, UM, what I 114 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:27,160 Speaker 1: do know is they were doing remote learning, and when 115 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 1: I arrived here in March, we were fully remote and UM. 116 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:37,080 Speaker 1: Then in the fourth marketing period, so like around like 117 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:41,000 Speaker 1: after spring break, UM, we moved to a hybrid model. 118 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:45,720 Speaker 1: So we had parents and kids could like choose if 119 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:47,600 Speaker 1: they wanted to stay online or if they wanted to 120 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:51,760 Speaker 1: be in person. UM. I think like sixty percent or 121 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:55,920 Speaker 1: more depending on what school UM chose the online option. 122 00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:58,159 Speaker 1: Like a lot of parents just were not comfortable putting 123 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:01,080 Speaker 1: their kids in UM. I know that there's been like 124 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 1: a ton of talk about UM, you know, like the 125 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:12,640 Speaker 1: most economically disadvantaged families need the schools open, But it's 126 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 1: kind of been the reverse. It's been the people who 127 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 1: have UM more means are more interested in opening, and 128 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 1: people who UH are less well off are a little 129 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:26,120 Speaker 1: more resistant to it. I mean, that's not the same 130 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:28,280 Speaker 1: across the board. I don't want to generalize too much, 131 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 1: but that's been what I've seen UM. I think, if 132 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:33,880 Speaker 1: I had to guess it, there's a lot of history 133 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 1: behind that, Like UM. I mean, first of all, just 134 00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:42,559 Speaker 1: can your family afford an illness like this? And people 135 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 1: living in multi general generational households. And I think something 136 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:50,320 Speaker 1: that CPS and our government in general really fail to 137 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:55,760 Speaker 1: acknowledge is just how how much mistrust there is between 138 00:07:56,320 --> 00:08:01,200 Speaker 1: government institutions, public schools, and UM people of color and 139 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:04,200 Speaker 1: for a good reason. You know, they have been repeatedly 140 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 1: just screwed over by these institutions. And I can absolutely 141 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 1: understand why they might not trust a school district that says, hey, 142 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 1: we'll keep your kids safe, because they weren't doing it 143 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 1: before the pandemic. UM. So we had I had like 144 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:21,920 Speaker 1: seven kids in one of my classes and like ten 145 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:24,200 Speaker 1: and another and then the rest of them were online. 146 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:27,640 Speaker 1: And I'm like sitting at a computer teaching to the 147 00:08:27,720 --> 00:08:30,200 Speaker 1: kids online and to the kids in their room. All 148 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:32,000 Speaker 1: the kids in the room are on their computers too, 149 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:35,600 Speaker 1: so that we can like still be like one cohesive class. UM. 150 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:38,360 Speaker 1: It was hard, and it was like kind of like 151 00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:41,839 Speaker 1: mentally fatiguing, like just going back and forth like that. 152 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:44,839 Speaker 1: But you know, we made it work. I was kind 153 00:08:44,840 --> 00:08:46,319 Speaker 1: of I was really proud of us, Like we made 154 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:49,120 Speaker 1: it work. We made it happen. We stayed in contact 155 00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 1: with the families and the kids constantly UM and like 156 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:55,920 Speaker 1: as things moved on and as numbers started going down, 157 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 1: more people started warning their kids back UM. And then 158 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:04,160 Speaker 1: after spring they UM well, so like after springbreak they 159 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:07,000 Speaker 1: let people come back. And then as we moved towards 160 00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:09,280 Speaker 1: on our more and more kids were coming back. Which 161 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:12,959 Speaker 1: it was the school I was in was UM handling 162 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:15,439 Speaker 1: it very well. Our principle was really committed to like 163 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:20,080 Speaker 1: keeping us safe. So there was UM testing. Like once 164 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:21,720 Speaker 1: a week somebody would come bay and be like, yo, 165 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:25,000 Speaker 1: go get your COVID test. UM. I don't know if 166 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:28,840 Speaker 1: kids were being tested, but I know teachers were. UM. 167 00:09:29,480 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 1: Then summer happens. I ended up in a different school 168 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:37,520 Speaker 1: in the Austin neighborhood, which is um a lot less 169 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:40,079 Speaker 1: advantage than the one that I had been working in, 170 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:45,480 Speaker 1: and we open back up fully in person no remote 171 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:48,960 Speaker 1: option like at all, like if UM. The only people 172 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:53,480 Speaker 1: who could get remote were kids that were deemed medically fragile, 173 00:09:54,520 --> 00:09:56,880 Speaker 1: but they had to one submit like tons of paperwork 174 00:09:56,920 --> 00:10:00,720 Speaker 1: to prove that and to their siblings could not stay removed. 175 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:03,080 Speaker 1: So at that point, it's like, why, what's the point? 176 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:06,000 Speaker 1: And if you were a teacher who had a medically 177 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:09,400 Speaker 1: fragile child in the schools, your kid could be remote, 178 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:12,360 Speaker 1: but you couldn't, So then you know, how is that 179 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:17,360 Speaker 1: going to work? UM? And I found in the school 180 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:19,559 Speaker 1: where I was. You know, this is the issue with 181 00:10:19,720 --> 00:10:22,439 Speaker 1: Chicago and with you know, most of the country is 182 00:10:22,559 --> 00:10:25,560 Speaker 1: some schools have more resources than others. And the school 183 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:28,959 Speaker 1: I didn't know where to get tested. Nobody like told me. 184 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:32,080 Speaker 1: I think there was some kind of testing program, not sure, 185 00:10:32,679 --> 00:10:37,240 Speaker 1: definitely nothing for students. UM. I've since moved to a 186 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:39,760 Speaker 1: high school that has more resources, but still I have 187 00:10:39,880 --> 00:10:41,240 Speaker 1: not been able to figure out where the heck to 188 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:44,079 Speaker 1: get testing, which has been one of the biggest things 189 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:48,600 Speaker 1: that uh CTU is asking for is we want um 190 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:52,800 Speaker 1: opt out testing instead of opt in testing, so you 191 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:56,480 Speaker 1: would automatically be registered to test, and if you didn't 192 00:10:56,520 --> 00:10:58,719 Speaker 1: want to test, then you would have to opt out, 193 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:02,160 Speaker 1: which would end up with far more people getting tested 194 00:11:02,559 --> 00:11:04,719 Speaker 1: and make it a lot easier, because I mean a 195 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:06,400 Speaker 1: big part of why people are in signing up is 196 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:09,040 Speaker 1: it's really hard, like I don't know where to find 197 00:11:09,120 --> 00:11:11,319 Speaker 1: it that everyone's like it's in your emails somewhere. I've 198 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:14,160 Speaker 1: searched my email. I don't know, Like we get like 199 00:11:14,320 --> 00:11:18,040 Speaker 1: emails a day, like yeah, and it's yeah, Like you know, 200 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:21,000 Speaker 1: I think anyone anyone who remembers what being in a 201 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:24,360 Speaker 1: school is like those they have, I mean, just the 202 00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 1: absolute worst bureaucratic stuff, Like it's it's it's it's like honestly, 203 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:32,559 Speaker 1: like it's like my experiences with like academia and like 204 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:35,240 Speaker 1: even back in the high school, like their tech stuff 205 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:37,480 Speaker 1: was like worse than corporate sex stuff, which is like 206 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:53,599 Speaker 1: astounding mm hmm, it's it's ridiculous. Do you want to 207 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:57,240 Speaker 1: jump into here into Lightfoot's like okay, Lightfoot has like 208 00:11:57,400 --> 00:12:00,319 Speaker 1: invented a new kind of COVID denialism, which she's like 209 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:04,520 Speaker 1: she she's now turned into like a COVID test nihilist, 210 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:07,800 Speaker 1: like it's incredible, like she she she has. She went 211 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:10,719 Speaker 1: on this rant about how like COVID testing is a 212 00:12:10,840 --> 00:12:15,559 Speaker 1: quote quasi medical procedure and how you're gonna get lost, 213 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:19,960 Speaker 1: like it's it's bizarre. So this this journalist asked her 214 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:23,360 Speaker 1: about the testing because and I don't know which journalist 215 00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 1: that was, but I want to thank them so much 216 00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:28,040 Speaker 1: because they have seen a lot of the reporters are 217 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:31,880 Speaker 1: actually out there trying to keep c t US demands 218 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:34,720 Speaker 1: in the conversation as opposed to this like whole oh 219 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:37,679 Speaker 1: lazy teachers don't want to work like off, we do 220 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:43,080 Speaker 1: want to be working. Um. But so I almost thought 221 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:45,760 Speaker 1: that she had like mixed up with this person said, 222 00:12:45,800 --> 00:12:48,880 Speaker 1: and thought that they were talking about vaccines. But even so, 223 00:12:49,280 --> 00:12:52,880 Speaker 1: like stop it, stop, just stop doing that. But who 224 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:55,400 Speaker 1: is having a reaction to a COVID test. It's like 225 00:12:55,520 --> 00:13:01,440 Speaker 1: literally a cute tip, like like you just sticking. They 226 00:13:01,480 --> 00:13:03,360 Speaker 1: don't even stick it that far up your nose anymore. 227 00:13:03,400 --> 00:13:05,599 Speaker 1: They just do a little in your nostril or like 228 00:13:05,679 --> 00:13:08,600 Speaker 1: a mouth swat. Yeah. Like actually like as someone who 229 00:13:08,679 --> 00:13:11,719 Speaker 1: had like like I genuinely did have a kind of 230 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:14,199 Speaker 1: bad reaction because I jabbed it up really far and 231 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:19,920 Speaker 1: like I was like sneezing a lot afterwards. But it's like, oh, no, 232 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:22,719 Speaker 1: you sneezed a little bit, Like what what does it 233 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:26,720 Speaker 1: even mean? Like not like I feel like people are 234 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:31,040 Speaker 1: acting like this test is like this weird new technology 235 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:34,360 Speaker 1: it is. It isn't Like right before the pandemic, like 236 00:13:34,440 --> 00:13:36,160 Speaker 1: a couple of months before I had the flu and 237 00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:38,240 Speaker 1: I had exactly the same kind of test. They stunned 238 00:13:38,720 --> 00:13:41,840 Speaker 1: a thing up my nose. It was hella uncomfortable. Um 239 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:44,319 Speaker 1: it took like two seconds. They stuck it on a 240 00:13:44,400 --> 00:13:47,840 Speaker 1: little plastic thing. I'm a bob and said, oh, looks 241 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:53,319 Speaker 1: like you have the flu. Yeah, it's I don't know 242 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:56,559 Speaker 1: where this is coming from. I think it's just she 243 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:02,680 Speaker 1: is not a very charismatic person, and she's not someone 244 00:14:02,760 --> 00:14:06,280 Speaker 1: who does well under pressure. And right now she's back 245 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:10,040 Speaker 1: into a corner and she's acting out and it's been 246 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:13,320 Speaker 1: kind of wild, like I've seen she's she's also throwing 247 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:16,480 Speaker 1: other people around her under the pots. Yeah, like she 248 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:20,080 Speaker 1: says something about Pedro Martinez, like she says, the teachers 249 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:22,560 Speaker 1: aren't in charge of this. Padre Martinez is in charge. 250 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:24,640 Speaker 1: She's the CEO. And I'm like, okay, so you're being 251 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:29,480 Speaker 1: this is setting him up to take the blame on this. 252 00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:34,320 Speaker 1: Everything that you tweeted about like it was she was like, no, no, 253 00:14:34,440 --> 00:14:37,000 Speaker 1: it's actually the Mayor's and nothing. Sorry, it's it's actually 254 00:14:37,040 --> 00:14:42,600 Speaker 1: the Uh, it's the principles. The principles were like no, yeah, 255 00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:47,320 Speaker 1: So CPS is kind of interesting. Um, this can be 256 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:49,760 Speaker 1: really good or really bad, depending on what's school you're in, 257 00:14:50,080 --> 00:14:55,560 Speaker 1: but the principles really have a lot of autonomy over 258 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:59,400 Speaker 1: their school. Um. I've now been in two schools where 259 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:02,880 Speaker 1: that's worked out great. My principal rocks. Um, if she 260 00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:05,200 Speaker 1: ever hears this, I hope she knows that I said that. 261 00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:08,160 Speaker 1: I think she's great. Um. Also, the principle I worked 262 00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:11,760 Speaker 1: at the beginning of school year was awful. Um. So, 263 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:17,240 Speaker 1: but when it comes to like district wide protocols, like 264 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:22,000 Speaker 1: that's district wide and so CPS apparently had a meeting 265 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:25,000 Speaker 1: with principles where um, I heard some rumors about this too, 266 00:15:25,080 --> 00:15:28,240 Speaker 1: but I also saw that letter that they had posted. Um, 267 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:34,080 Speaker 1: the principles are one really frustrated because CPS isn't communicating 268 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:37,640 Speaker 1: stuff with them very effectively, and so parents will be 269 00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:40,000 Speaker 1: calling like do we have school tomorrow? And they don't know, 270 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:43,600 Speaker 1: but CTU knows, and it's telling their members. So the 271 00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:46,400 Speaker 1: teachers all know the like more answers than the principles do, 272 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:49,880 Speaker 1: which is obviously really embarrassing if you're supposed to be 273 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:54,880 Speaker 1: in charge. Um. And then there they were told in 274 00:15:55,000 --> 00:15:59,040 Speaker 1: this meeting with CPS, school's gonna be closed on Friday. Okay, 275 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:03,400 Speaker 1: school's closed on ready, Great, sounds good. And then Lightfoot 276 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:06,720 Speaker 1: gets on the dang news and tells everybody that it 277 00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:09,400 Speaker 1: will be done on a school by school pap basis 278 00:16:09,480 --> 00:16:12,760 Speaker 1: at principles discretion, depending on if they have staff. So 279 00:16:12,920 --> 00:16:15,600 Speaker 1: now all of these principles who had already told their 280 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:21,800 Speaker 1: students and families that, um, we're closing, look like they're 281 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:25,120 Speaker 1: the ones who closed it as opposed. Like and that's 282 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:27,800 Speaker 1: it is rare for me to feel bad for a 283 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:30,440 Speaker 1: school principle, because that's that's my boss. You know, I 284 00:16:30,480 --> 00:16:34,200 Speaker 1: don't us, but I feel bad for them right now. 285 00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 1: Oh my god, Like you're just trying to like make 286 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:40,440 Speaker 1: sure that people have the information they need in a 287 00:16:40,560 --> 00:16:43,000 Speaker 1: timely manner, and this lady is up here making you 288 00:16:43,080 --> 00:16:57,080 Speaker 1: look like a monster. It's so unfair. Yeah, should we 289 00:16:57,080 --> 00:17:01,280 Speaker 1: talk about what's been happening up to the pastor of 290 00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:04,760 Speaker 1: winter break and then the stuff that's happening now, because 291 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:08,440 Speaker 1: it's very grim and bad. Yeah. So a lot of 292 00:17:08,520 --> 00:17:12,680 Speaker 1: schools have been having COVID cases. Um, there's I'm not 293 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:15,720 Speaker 1: really sure what's going on with cps IS data. It 294 00:17:15,840 --> 00:17:19,280 Speaker 1: kind of seems like they're not reporting it very faithfully 295 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:22,800 Speaker 1: or accurately. Like if you look at their tracker, they'll 296 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:26,720 Speaker 1: be cases and then suddenly they'll be gone. Um. We 297 00:17:26,840 --> 00:17:29,720 Speaker 1: never really get a hard number ever. Like will be 298 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:32,600 Speaker 1: like if you have a student in your class who 299 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:35,639 Speaker 1: has been quarantined and we all know what it is, 300 00:17:35,720 --> 00:17:39,080 Speaker 1: but they don't say it. They'll be like, um, you know, uh, 301 00:17:39,440 --> 00:17:42,639 Speaker 1: Johnny will be out for the next x amount of 302 00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:45,119 Speaker 1: time due to health reasons. Please let him join via 303 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:49,399 Speaker 1: Google Meet And they never do. That's the other annoying 304 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:52,320 Speaker 1: thing is like the students, I think because they are 305 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:55,679 Speaker 1: either close contact or they're sick, um, you know, to them, 306 00:17:55,720 --> 00:17:59,480 Speaker 1: it's like a a break almost like they're not going 307 00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:03,840 Speaker 1: to log in randomly, Like it's it's just with I 308 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:07,320 Speaker 1: think with kids, like once it stops being consistent and 309 00:18:07,359 --> 00:18:10,160 Speaker 1: it's like back and forth all the time, it becomes 310 00:18:10,359 --> 00:18:14,640 Speaker 1: very difficult for them to stay motivated because they're out 311 00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:17,600 Speaker 1: of their routine. Like I I sometimes hate it when 312 00:18:17,640 --> 00:18:19,240 Speaker 1: people say this, but it is kind of true. Kids 313 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:24,120 Speaker 1: kind of thrive on routine. Um. So at this point 314 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:27,720 Speaker 1: now I have like a third of my class at 315 00:18:27,760 --> 00:18:30,920 Speaker 1: any given moment will just not be there and it 316 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:33,399 Speaker 1: will be different third of the class every you know, 317 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:37,040 Speaker 1: it kind of like rolls through. So all of my 318 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:40,800 Speaker 1: students are like different points in the curriculum. It's hard 319 00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:44,080 Speaker 1: to like know what to teach each day because I 320 00:18:44,119 --> 00:18:46,639 Speaker 1: don't know who needs what. It's hard to reach out 321 00:18:46,720 --> 00:18:48,160 Speaker 1: to the kids that are at home and make sure 322 00:18:48,200 --> 00:18:49,920 Speaker 1: that they get what they need because I'm so busy 323 00:18:49,960 --> 00:18:52,760 Speaker 1: trying to catch these kids up and move these kids 324 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:56,440 Speaker 1: on and all that stuff, um, which I have seen 325 00:18:56,560 --> 00:18:58,680 Speaker 1: some research. I'll see if I can find it, um 326 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:02,119 Speaker 1: after we're done. The like pointing out that like remote 327 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:05,080 Speaker 1: learning isn't the worst thing that can happen. The worst 328 00:19:05,119 --> 00:19:08,080 Speaker 1: thing that can happen is just flipping back and forth 329 00:19:08,119 --> 00:19:11,000 Speaker 1: all the time and having huge numbers of kids absent 330 00:19:11,119 --> 00:19:16,280 Speaker 1: from in person learning. UM So we go on break 331 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:21,879 Speaker 1: and obviously we have o macron like sweeping through the country, 332 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:25,720 Speaker 1: and we all knew that they were going to be spikes, 333 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:29,040 Speaker 1: Like we knew that in Chicago had what was if 334 00:19:29,119 --> 00:19:32,399 Speaker 1: Illinois had some like astronomically high number of new COVID 335 00:19:32,520 --> 00:19:37,200 Speaker 1: cases like breaking records all over the place. UM CPS 336 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:43,120 Speaker 1: has had huge increases. Yesterday we had forty three four 337 00:19:43,200 --> 00:19:51,560 Speaker 1: cases in Illinois. It's that's a lot, like yeah, but yeah, 338 00:19:51,720 --> 00:19:55,080 Speaker 1: so overbreak like the last like, the Union had been 339 00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:59,560 Speaker 1: trying has been trying forever to get CPS to come 340 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:04,720 Speaker 1: in and agree to UM a few things. So one 341 00:20:05,000 --> 00:20:09,200 Speaker 1: in February we had a um an agreement that schools 342 00:20:09,200 --> 00:20:12,160 Speaker 1: would flip to remote if they reached a certain threshold. 343 00:20:12,840 --> 00:20:17,320 Speaker 1: That agreement has expired and CPS has refused to come 344 00:20:17,359 --> 00:20:19,280 Speaker 1: to the bargaining table and negotiate a new one. They're 345 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:21,520 Speaker 1: just like, no, we don't need it. We also have 346 00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:23,920 Speaker 1: been trying to get them to do the opt out 347 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:28,600 Speaker 1: testing and a like surveillance testing programing in school so 348 00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:31,760 Speaker 1: we can kind of just have little bits of data 349 00:20:31,840 --> 00:20:35,080 Speaker 1: to understand like where are these cases. CPS doesn't want 350 00:20:35,119 --> 00:20:37,520 Speaker 1: to do this. They don't want a threshold for flipping 351 00:20:37,520 --> 00:20:40,119 Speaker 1: to remote because then they would have to flip to remote, 352 00:20:40,359 --> 00:20:42,520 Speaker 1: and they don't want the surveillance testing because then they 353 00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:44,240 Speaker 1: would have to flip to remote, and they just don't 354 00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:48,960 Speaker 1: want to flip to remote. Um. So finally over break, 355 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:50,280 Speaker 1: you know, it kind of came to a head, like 356 00:20:50,359 --> 00:20:54,200 Speaker 1: they were still refusing to negotiate, like, um, one of 357 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:58,479 Speaker 1: the union delegates in my building said something about, um, 358 00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:01,320 Speaker 1: they've been meeting by to these meetings, like you know, 359 00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:03,520 Speaker 1: like twice a week. They try to get these meetings 360 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:06,080 Speaker 1: to happen, and the mayor never comes and the CEO 361 00:21:06,320 --> 00:21:09,119 Speaker 1: never comes, like they will either send lawyers or they 362 00:21:09,119 --> 00:21:12,280 Speaker 1: don't show up. And it's like, dude sounded so tired 363 00:21:12,359 --> 00:21:15,080 Speaker 1: into moralize when he said that, I felt bad for him. Um, 364 00:21:16,320 --> 00:21:20,320 Speaker 1: but yeah, So we voted that we were going to 365 00:21:20,440 --> 00:21:25,480 Speaker 1: go in on Monday and Tuesday meet with our safety committees, 366 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:28,600 Speaker 1: get a feel for what's going on in school, and 367 00:21:29,119 --> 00:21:33,919 Speaker 1: then we are going to have a vote on Tuesday 368 00:21:34,040 --> 00:21:35,240 Speaker 1: night as to whether or not we will do a 369 00:21:35,280 --> 00:21:38,520 Speaker 1: remote work action on Wednesday. And I know a lot 370 00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:40,800 Speaker 1: of people have been like trying to make it sound 371 00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:43,440 Speaker 1: like this was very sudden, but it absolutely wasn't. Like 372 00:21:44,119 --> 00:21:46,560 Speaker 1: we had a vote about whether or not we were 373 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:49,200 Speaker 1: interested in doing this, and then we had a vote 374 00:21:49,320 --> 00:21:52,119 Speaker 1: on whether we're still interested on having a vote, and 375 00:21:52,200 --> 00:21:55,639 Speaker 1: then we had the vote, and the delicates voted on 376 00:21:55,840 --> 00:21:59,399 Speaker 1: if they wanted to hold an official like should we 377 00:21:59,480 --> 00:22:02,920 Speaker 1: do an act and vote? We did. Um, it was 378 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:07,680 Speaker 1: like seventy voted yes. Um. There were some complaints that 379 00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:09,720 Speaker 1: some people didn't get their ballots, but they did wait 380 00:22:09,800 --> 00:22:12,879 Speaker 1: till they had enough yes votes to preach that to 381 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:17,280 Speaker 1: third majority that we needed. So, you know, c TU 382 00:22:17,400 --> 00:22:20,680 Speaker 1: has every step of the way really been making sure, um, 383 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:23,280 Speaker 1: this is actually what we want. This isn't just like 384 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:28,080 Speaker 1: unilateral things like Lorie keeps throwing that work unilateral around. 385 00:22:28,119 --> 00:22:31,720 Speaker 1: It wasn't unilateral. It was like, at least two there's 386 00:22:31,800 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 1: the teachers in this district said I don't feel safe 387 00:22:34,560 --> 00:22:38,399 Speaker 1: at school. There's not enough staff in the building right 388 00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:41,560 Speaker 1: now to even teach half my kids. A third of 389 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:46,480 Speaker 1: my kids are out. This isn't working. So yeah, so 390 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:48,280 Speaker 1: we voted that we're going to stay home and work 391 00:22:48,359 --> 00:22:52,800 Speaker 1: remotely and then we got locked out. Yeah, which again 392 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:54,960 Speaker 1: like and I want to almost refocus on this for 393 00:22:54,960 --> 00:22:57,639 Speaker 1: a second because even a lot of people who are 394 00:22:57,680 --> 00:23:00,840 Speaker 1: sympathetic to to to the re unions on Twitter, you 395 00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:02,960 Speaker 1: see this a lot, they'll they'll be like the CTU 396 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:05,600 Speaker 1: went on strike. It's like, no, they didn't like teachers 397 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:07,640 Speaker 1: and teachers are not on strike. The teachers are attempting 398 00:23:07,680 --> 00:23:11,880 Speaker 1: to work from home and school district will not let them. Yeah, 399 00:23:12,040 --> 00:23:15,760 Speaker 1: it's it's every morning I get up at six thirty, 400 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:18,280 Speaker 1: I make my coffee, and I sit down and I 401 00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:20,600 Speaker 1: try to log in, and I know I won't be 402 00:23:20,640 --> 00:23:23,440 Speaker 1: able to, but I do it anyway. Um. Thankfully, I 403 00:23:23,560 --> 00:23:27,439 Speaker 1: had thought to download as much of my materials as 404 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:30,480 Speaker 1: I could prior to this, only my personal device, so 405 00:23:30,560 --> 00:23:33,840 Speaker 1: I am still able to create lesson lands, been making 406 00:23:33,920 --> 00:23:37,600 Speaker 1: some very cool social study slides. I'm I'm so sure 407 00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:42,000 Speaker 1: that my students are gonna love lots of cool assignments 408 00:23:42,040 --> 00:23:45,840 Speaker 1: for them to do. To um. But yeah, like, this 409 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:48,639 Speaker 1: is a lockout. And Glory keeps starting this word like 410 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:51,680 Speaker 1: illegal work stoppage around. It's not a work stoppage. We 411 00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:56,600 Speaker 1: are actively working. She has illegally. It is in our contract. 412 00:23:56,720 --> 00:23:58,560 Speaker 1: That she can't lock us out, and she did so. 413 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:04,080 Speaker 1: So at everyone's doing each other and saying illegal. But 414 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:06,920 Speaker 1: I know which side is right? Yeah, yeah, you know. 415 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:09,440 Speaker 1: I I am not an en normal perspector of the law, 416 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:12,520 Speaker 1: but like this is this is both. This is one 417 00:24:12,560 --> 00:24:14,959 Speaker 1: of the rare occasions where the thing that is happening 418 00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:18,600 Speaker 1: is both illegal and also just wrong. The reporting on 419 00:24:18,720 --> 00:24:23,440 Speaker 1: this just has not gotten the actual fundamental thing which 420 00:24:23,480 --> 00:24:27,480 Speaker 1: is happening here, which is a lockout. And it's enormously 421 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:30,400 Speaker 1: frustrating a lot of ways because you know, and i'd 422 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:32,879 Speaker 1: say this, okay, so like local media reporting has been 423 00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:35,919 Speaker 1: a lot better, but any like any national coverage has 424 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:39,760 Speaker 1: just I've seen it's just been like, yeah, it's gonna 425 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:41,760 Speaker 1: be it. For part one of this interview, come back 426 00:24:41,760 --> 00:24:43,840 Speaker 1: tomorrow for part two, when we will talk more about 427 00:24:43,880 --> 00:24:45,920 Speaker 1: what's actually going on inside the schools and you know, 428 00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:49,600 Speaker 1: generally do the media's job for them, because lord knows 429 00:24:49,640 --> 00:24:51,639 Speaker 1: they're not actually getting it right. You can find us 430 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:55,200 Speaker 1: that happened here pod on Twitter and Instagram as usual, 431 00:24:56,440 --> 00:24:59,119 Speaker 1: or you cannot find us. In fact, I encourage you 432 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:02,880 Speaker 1: not to find us, because good Lord, the internet is bad. Goodbye. 433 00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:10,040 Speaker 1: It could happen Here as a production of cool Zone Media. 434 00:25:10,280 --> 00:25:12,919 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from cool Zone Media, visit our website 435 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:15,080 Speaker 1: cool zone media dot com, or check us out on 436 00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:17,639 Speaker 1: the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 437 00:25:17,760 --> 00:25:20,520 Speaker 1: listen to podcasts. You can find sources for It could 438 00:25:20,520 --> 00:25:23,480 Speaker 1: happen here, updated monthly at cool zone Media dot com 439 00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:25,439 Speaker 1: slash sources. Thanks for listening.