Dupage Policy Journal

Parents in Naperville School District 203 want their children to return for in-person learning and have expressed their frustration at a recent school board meeting. 

Former board member and now State Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, who resigned from the board in January for the legislative position, (D-Naperville), did not respond to DuPage Policy Journal's requests for comment on the district's failure to reopen schools and the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT)'s pushback against schools reopening.

Rohr received more than $90,000 from teachers unions, including the IFT, for her 2020 campaign for state representative, campaign disclosure records show.

Three incumbent board members who are seeking re-election in April were told by several speakers at the District 203 School Board meeting that they will replaced if schools do no reopen for full-time in-person classes, the Chicago Tribune reported.

“To think you have the slightest chance at re-election after willingly handing over that responsibility we gave you, your failure is laughable and you should be ashamed with yourselves,” said Jim Parker, who has two children attending Maplebrook Elementary School, the paper reported. “You will all be replaced if these schools aren’t open immediately.” 

Naperville District 203 has been closed for an entire year despite Centers for Disease Control guidelines issued last March on reopening schools safely depending on community transmission. They included the use of masks and physical distancing of at least 6 feet when possible. 

The Illinois State Board of Education this week released their own guidance on reopening schools for in-person instruction and they included the same guidance issued by the CDC regarding masks and physical distancing.

The Chicago Teachers Union affiliates, including the Illinois Federation of Teachers and the American Federation of Teachers, have all fought against schools reopening, saying it has to be done safely and teachers should be vaccinated.

Last month, in response to the Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools finally approving an agreement on schools reopening, IFT President Dan Montgomery said in a release, "...we congratulate the members of the CTU. This agreement is the result of your collective action. As professionals and unionists, you refused to back down until you won what was needed to protect yourselves, your families and your students. You demonstrated the true power of solidarity."

Montgomery added, “The agreement with CPS sends a powerful message to every school district that it is imperative to partner with unions to ensure a safe reopening of schools. Teachers everywhere want to be in their classrooms with students, but safety must be the priority. The CTU/CPS agreement proves that a safe return can be accomplished when we work together."