Chicago Public Schools is one step closer to reopening

CHICAGO - The push to get kids in the classroom is gaining momentum after the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board denied an injunction requested by the Chicago Teachers Union.

CTU wants to go to court before Christmas to ask a judge to rule on Chicago Public Schools’ refusal to bargain over schools reopening.

CPS, however, appears to already have their minds made up after they put out a video on Wednesday of how schools will safely allow children back into the classrooms.

On Thursday, CPS was given the green light to proceed. In a 2-1 vote, the labor board agreed that some students can return to class on January 11th, followed by other learners on February 1st.

CPS applauded the move, saying it is "facing an educational crisis that can only be addressed  by safely opening our doors to address deepening inequities that disproportionately harm Black and Brown students."

CTU President Jesse Sharkey says schools should reopen when the positivity rate in the city is 3 percent or lower. Right now, it is 11.8 percent.

"Some neighborhoods have 20 percent positivity. If that’s still going up, we shouldn’t be going back into the buildings," he said.

If a judge does not side with CTU, Sharkey was hesitant to say if the union would go on strike.

"We don’t want to be forced back into the buildings and we don’t have a way of making the board keep its word," he said.