WEBVTT

00:05.306 --> 00:07.240
>>> ON THE VERGE OF A STRIKE,

00:07.241 --> 00:08.250
>>> ON THE VERGE OF A STRIKE,

00:08.251 --> 00:09.933
CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL NOT

00:09.934 --> 00:11.715
RETURN TO IN PERSON LEARNING AS

00:11.716 --> 00:12.870
PLANNED TODAY.

00:12.871 --> 00:16.261
THE CITY’S TEACHERS UNION IS

00:16.262 --> 00:18.767
DEMANDING THAT EDUCATORS BE

00:18.768 --> 00:20.492
VACCINATED BEFORE RETURNING TO

00:20.493 --> 00:22.769
THE CLASSROOM, AMONG OTHER

00:22.770 --> 00:24.910
CORONAVIRUS SAFETY MEASURES.

00:24.944 --> 00:27.260
REMOTE LEARNING WILL CONTINUE

00:27.294 --> 00:29.391
TODAY AS THE NATION’S THIRD

00:29.392 --> 00:31.517
LARGEST PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

00:31.551 --> 00:33.743
AND TEACHERS UNION CONTINUE TO

00:33.778 --> 00:35.800
WORK ON AN AGREEMENT.

00:35.801 --> 00:40.447
JOINING US NOW IS THE MAYOR OF

00:40.448 --> 00:43.123
CHICAGO, LORI LIGHTFOOT AND

00:43.157 --> 00:45.327
JONATHAN AND REVEREND AL

00:45.328 --> 00:47.453
SHARPTON ARE WITH US AS WELL.

00:47.487 --> 00:49.743
EXPLAIN TO US WHAT IS KEEPING

00:49.744 --> 00:51.690
TEACHERS FROM RETURNING TO THE

00:51.692 --> 00:52.165
CLASSROOMS.

00:52.199 --> 00:54.582
WHERE ARE THE IS THAT RIGHT

00:54.583 --> 00:56.817
FALLS NOT KEEPING THEM SAFE?

00:56.852 --> 00:59.045
>> FIRST OF ALL, THANKS FOR

00:59.047 --> 01:00.745
HAVING ME ON THIS MORNING.

01:00.746 --> 01:02.272
LET ME BE VERY CLEAR.

01:02.307 --> 01:04.192
OUR SCHOOLS ARE SAFE.

01:04.227 --> 01:06.999
WE INVESTED OVER $100 MILLION ON

01:07.034 --> 01:08.638
VENTILATION, OTHER SAFETY

01:08.639 --> 01:10.781
PROTOCOLS, MAKING SURE WE HAVE

01:10.816 --> 01:12.253
MASKS, SAFETY HEALTH SCREENING,

01:12.255 --> 01:14.228
TEMPERATURE CHECKS, ALL THE

01:14.229 --> 01:16.328
THINGS YOU WOULD EXPECT THAT THE

01:16.329 --> 01:18.505
CDC GUIDANCE TOLD US THAT WE

01:18.507 --> 01:20.217
KNOW MAKES SENSE TO MITIGATION

01:20.251 --> 01:22.446
ANY ISSUES IN SCHOOLS.

01:22.447 --> 01:25.201
WE LOOKED AT AND FOLLOW EVERY

01:25.202 --> 01:26.637
SCHOOL ACROSS THE GLOBE

01:26.671 --> 01:27.894
INCLUDING HERE IN CHICAGO.

01:27.928 --> 01:29.012
OUR SCHOOLS ARE SAFE.

01:29.046 --> 01:30.598
YOU DON’T HAVE TO TAKE MY WORD

01:30.632 --> 01:31.970
FOR IT.

01:31.971 --> 01:34.639
WE HAVE HAD THREE WEEKS OF

01:34.641 --> 01:36.902
SAFELY IMPLEMENTING OUR PLAN

01:36.936 --> 01:40.411
UNTIL THE TEACHERS UNION BLEW IT

01:40.413 --> 01:40.933
UP.

01:40.934 --> 01:43.058
WE HAD PRESCHOOL AND SPECIAL

01:43.093 --> 01:44.957
NEEDS TEACHERS BACK IN SCHOOLS

01:44.992 --> 01:46.814
SINCE THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY,

01:46.815 --> 01:48.982
SO PROOF POSITIVE THAT OUR PLAN

01:48.983 --> 01:49.796
ACTUALLY WORKS.

01:49.798 --> 01:51.287
LOOK, I GET IT.

01:51.288 --> 01:52.563
TEACHERS ARE CONCERNED.

01:52.564 --> 01:53.908
THEY’RE SCARED, WHICH IS

01:53.909 --> 01:55.670
ABSOLUTELY WHY WE HAVE BEEN

01:55.671 --> 01:57.596
WORKING LITERALLY NIGHT AND DAY

01:57.598 --> 01:59.790
FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS IN

01:59.791 --> 02:01.052
PARTICULAR, 70 PLUS MEETINGS

02:01.053 --> 02:03.666
SINCE JUNE TO GET A DEAL DONE.

02:03.667 --> 02:05.354
I THINK WE CAN STILL GET A DEAL

02:05.355 --> 02:06.004
DONE.

02:06.005 --> 02:08.947
WE ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO

02:08.948 --> 02:10.685
MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

02:10.720 --> 02:12.807
A STRIKE WOULD HAVE

02:12.808 --> 02:14.076
CATASTROPHIC, MOSTLY FOR OUR

02:14.111 --> 02:15.042
KIDS.

02:15.043 --> 02:18.359
BUT WE’RE PUSHING TO SEAL THESE

02:18.360 --> 02:20.172
LAST FEW REMAINING TOUGH ISSUES.

02:20.174 --> 02:21.886
IT IS NOT ABOUT WE DON’T WANT

02:21.888 --> 02:22.987
TEACHERS TO BE SAFE.

02:23.021 --> 02:25.413
IT IS NOT ABOUT WE DON’T RESPECT

02:25.415 --> 02:27.682
THE RIGHTS OF ORGANIZED LABOR.

02:27.716 --> 02:29.513
CHICAGO IS A LABOR TOWN.

02:29.514 --> 02:33.601
I’M A KID THAT GREW UP WITH A

02:33.636 --> 02:36.158
FATHER AS A STEEL WORKER.

02:36.159 --> 02:37.882
IT IS ABOUT PUTTING OUR KIDS

02:37.916 --> 02:38.885
FIRST.

02:38.920 --> 02:42.561
IF WE DO THAT, BOTH SIDES WILL

02:42.562 --> 02:45.563
GET A DEAL DONE IN NO TIME.

02:45.597 --> 02:46.780
>> MAYOR LIGHTFOOT, AL SHARP

02:46.814 --> 02:47.271
TOP.

02:47.305 --> 02:51.958
AS YOU KNOW, I HAVE A LOT OF

02:51.992 --> 02:54.678
PEOPLE I WORK WITH IN YOUR CITY

02:54.712 --> 02:56.365
AND MANY OF THEM ARE BIG

02:56.366 --> 02:57.322
SUPPORTERS OF YOURS.

02:57.323 --> 02:58.917
BUT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT ON ONE

02:58.918 --> 03:01.152
SIDE YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE

03:01.153 --> 03:03.241
VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE HEALTH

03:03.242 --> 03:05.028
OF THE YOUNG CHILDREN, THE

03:05.063 --> 03:06.898
STUDENTS AND THE OTHER SIDE THE

03:06.900 --> 03:08.704
HEALTH OF THE TEACHERS.

03:08.738 --> 03:10.413
AND CLEARLY, AS YOU STATED, YOU

03:10.414 --> 03:11.245
GET IT.

03:11.246 --> 03:12.962
THERE IS CONCERNS, WHICH IS WHY

03:12.996 --> 03:14.963
YOU HAVE TRIED TO DO SOME OF THE

03:14.997 --> 03:16.903
STEPS YOU HAVE DONE.

03:16.904 --> 03:20.164
IS THERE THIRD PARTIES OF CLERGY

03:20.198 --> 03:22.261
OR OUTSIDE INFLUENCERS THAT CAN

03:22.262 --> 03:24.597
HELP YOU TO TRY TO COME TO TERMS

03:24.632 --> 03:25.716
AND DEAL WITH BOTH SIDES OF

03:25.718 --> 03:26.030
THIS?

03:26.064 --> 03:28.187
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY,

03:28.221 --> 03:30.714
THE STUDENTS ARE THE ONES THAT

03:30.716 --> 03:32.105
ARE SUFFERING WITH EDUCATION.

03:32.106 --> 03:34.113
YOU DON’T WANT TO PUT THEIR

03:34.114 --> 03:36.093
HEALTH AT RISK, BUT YOU DON’T

03:36.094 --> 03:37.922
WANT TEACHERS TO FEEL THEIR

03:37.923 --> 03:39.889
HEALTH IS AT RISK.

03:39.890 --> 03:42.888
>> YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.

03:42.889 --> 03:44.581
WE UNDERSTAND THE FEARS OF

03:44.582 --> 03:46.369
TEACHERS, WHICH IS WHY STARTING

03:46.404 --> 03:48.715
IN OCTOBER, WE STARTED A PROCESS

03:48.750 --> 03:50.397
FOR ACCOMMODATIONS FOR TEACHERS.

03:50.398 --> 03:55.754
IF YOU ARE SOMEBODY WHO YOURSELF

03:55.755 --> 03:57.243
HAS AN UNDERLYING MEDICAL

03:57.244 --> 03:58.877
CONDITION, IF YOU ARE THE

03:58.879 --> 03:59.176
PRIMARY

03:59.177 --> 04:00.232
PRIMARY CARETAKER FOR SOMEONE

04:00.266 --> 04:01.625
WITH AN UNDERLYING CONDITION,

04:01.659 --> 04:04.622
YOU DON’T HAVE TO COME TO IN

04:04.623 --> 04:07.130
PERSON LEARNING, WE HAVE GIVEN

04:07.132 --> 04:08.422
ACCOMMODATIONS, THOUSANDS OF

04:08.456 --> 04:09.304
ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THOSE

04:09.339 --> 04:09.780
TEACHERS.

04:09.815 --> 04:12.240
WE ARE TRYING TO SEE IF THERE IS

04:12.274 --> 04:13.945
MORE WE CAN DO.

04:13.946 --> 04:15.516
WE’RE WAITING FOR THE TEACHERS

04:15.517 --> 04:17.460
UNION TO GIVE US A RESPONSE.

04:17.461 --> 04:19.977
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE A

04:19.978 --> 04:21.673
VERY ROBUST VACCINATION PROGRAM

04:21.674 --> 04:22.396
FOR TEACHERS.

04:22.397 --> 04:24.390
THE TRUTH IS TEACHERS ARE

04:24.424 --> 04:25.768
ALREADY GETTING VACCINATED BUT

04:25.769 --> 04:27.487
ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT THEY CAN

04:27.488 --> 04:29.332
DO THROUGH THEIR INSURANCE, WE

04:29.366 --> 04:31.859
ARE OFFERING A PLAN TO GET

04:31.860 --> 04:32.684
TEACHERS VACCINATED,

04:32.685 --> 04:34.118
PARTICULARLY IF THOSE HARDEST

04:34.119 --> 04:35.075
HIT AREAS.

04:35.077 --> 04:39.982
WE STARTED A PROGRAM JUST LAST

04:39.983 --> 04:42.295
WEEK CALLED PROTECT CHICAGO

04:42.297 --> 04:42.727
PLUS.

04:42.761 --> 04:45.175
WE’RE GOING DEEP INTO THE 15

04:45.210 --> 04:46.778
MOST CHALLENGED NEIGHBORHOODS

04:46.779 --> 04:48.456
THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC WHERE

04:48.457 --> 04:50.915
THE CASE RATES ARE HIGH, AND WE

04:50.949 --> 04:53.014
ARE GOING INTO THOSE

04:53.048 --> 04:54.553
NEIGHBORHOODS AND PROVIDING THEM

04:54.588 --> 04:56.010
WITH FREE VACCINE.

04:56.044 --> 04:58.427
SO IF YOU LIVE IN THOSE

04:58.462 --> 05:00.332
NEIGHBORHOODS, IF YOU WORK IN

05:00.366 --> 05:01.304
THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS, WE’RE

05:01.338 --> 05:03.117
COMING WITH HELP AND IT IS HERE

05:03.152 --> 05:04.045
ON THE HORIZON.

05:04.047 --> 05:05.832
SO WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE

05:05.867 --> 05:07.891
CAN TO ADDRESS WHAT THE TEACHERS

05:07.926 --> 05:09.252
ARE EXPRESSING TO US.

05:09.253 --> 05:10.645
BUT WE NEED THEM TO MEET US

05:10.679 --> 05:11.239
HALFWAY.

05:11.273 --> 05:15.117
AS YOU ALL KNOW, YOU HAVE GOT TO

05:15.118 --> 05:16.510
TAKE STEPS IN EACH OTHER’S

05:16.544 --> 05:16.971
DIRECTION.

05:16.972 --> 05:19.339
THERE HAS GOT TO BE COMPROMISE.

05:19.373 --> 05:21.150
I TOLD MY TEAM, SPARE NOTHING.

05:21.185 --> 05:23.392
STAY UP NIGHT AND DAY TO GET A