|
Op-Ed: Chicago Public Schools receive $2.8
billion while kids stay home
[The Center Square] Adam Andrzejewski
| RealClearWire
On Tuesday, Jan 4, 2022,
the Chicago Teachers Union voted to strike yet again, citing COVID
related safety concerns. The students in the Chicago Public School
district have frequently been caught in the relentless power struggle
between the Chicago Teachers Union and the Chicago Public School system. |
|
 In early 2021, CPS demanded that teachers return to classrooms
to resume in person instruction, and teachers refused. Now, students’ education
is once again in jeopardy.
Teachers claim classrooms still aren’t safe, but the Chicago Public School
system received a projected $2.79 billion from the federal government to
increase safety in schools, according to projections from Fox Business.
In 2020, Chicago had 20,927 full-time teachers at a total
payroll cost of $2.3 billion, according to a response to a Freedom of
Information Act request by our organization, OpenTheBooks.com. Our auditors
found that the average Chicago teacher earned $108,730 last year—$81,422 in
salary and another $27,307 in benefits. Further, teachers are allowed to
accumulate up to 244 sick days for use or pension credit. (A full school year
runs only 175 days.)
As part of the CARES Act in March of 2020, Congress authorized a grant program
called Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding. There
have since been three rounds of ESSER funding, and it’s intended to be used on
safety measures like masks, personal protective equipment, testing, and
classroom modifications to allow for social distancing.
[to top of second column] |
Some funds were also allocated for the purpose of
helping kids catch up on learning after pandemic setback. According
to the size of CPS system, Fox Business calculated that this funding
would amount to $2.79 billion.
For its part, the City of Chicago has used this money to invest in
the safety of public schools. For example, they spent $8.5 million
on 20,000 surgical quality HEPA air purifiers in every classroom.
They also evaluated and improved ventilation systems in every
school, and increased cleaning and disinfection procedures.
However, all of this hasn’t been enough for the teachers’ union,
even after demanding to be first in line to receive the Covid
vaccine. Two years and billions of dollars later, many students are
still suffering from remote learning while teachers continue to get
paid without having to show up in person for work.
The #WasteOfTheDay is presented by the forensic auditors at OpenTheBooks.com. |
