SE Illinois News

Frustration is mounting among parents and some elected leaders throughout Illinois as nearly half of the state's approximately 2 million public school students remain unable to resume in-person learning.

Statewide, nearly 1 million K-12 students are still receiving fully remote instruction almost a year after the initial COVID-19 school shutdown went into effect.

Approximately 700,000 students are receiving lessons through a hybrid approach, which combines both in-person and online education. In contrast, less than 20% of all students have been able to return to the classroom full-time. The extended school closures have caused some, including gubernatorial hopeful Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Louisville), to fear the possibility of long-term ramifications.

"[Gov. J.B. Pritzker] is destroying education and our children's mental health," Bailey said in a March 16 tweet. "We should have fully opened schools a long time ago, but JB is too afraid to stand up and do what's right."

Bailey argued that current scientific data overwhelmingly indicates that schools can reopen safely, particularly if teachers are prioritized for vaccinations. He suggested that parents consider running for office within their local school boards to ensure their voices are heard.

"[Parents] are frustrated at the governing officials and mainly the governor of the state," Bailey said in a recent Fox Business interview. "What they've got to realize is many times a local school board actually holds the authority to do what they need to do and open if they so desire,"

But teachers' unions continue to express concerns about the viability of carrying out safe reopening measures, particularly in low-income urban areas where school buildings tend to be underfunded and outdated.

"It's harder to reopen safely when you're looking at old ventilation systems and buildings that need to be remodeled and haven't had a lot of upkeep," Dan Montgomery, president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers, told the Chicago Tribune. "You're also quite likely to have higher community spread, and in some cases, residents who are more reluctant to get the vaccine."

Further compounding the problem, according to Bailey, is the fact that school boards are raising fears of being sued or losing state funding if they fully reopen.

Nonetheless, some parents continue to feel that Illinois is not doing enough to ensure a speedy transition to in-person learning.

Dozens of Chicago-area parents staged a rally calling for more children to be allowed back into the classroom. They cited recently updated CDC guidelines that now recommend students be kept at distances of 3 feet rather than 6 feet.

Still, students eagerly anticipating returning to the classroom will likely have to hold out for a while longer. According to Montgomery, reopening plans continue to be highly contingent upon coronavirus metrics and schools' ability to address safety concerns raised sufficiently.

Chicago Public Schools has announced plans to begin gradually allowing students to head back to class for the fourth and final quarter of the school year — if all continues to go well.