2828 North Oak Park Avenue,
Chicago,
60634
Illinois,
United States
The CEO of Chicago Public Schools said the school buildings were deep cleaned over the summer and while we were out of the building in the fall. There has been no evidence of this deep cleaning at Locke school. I do not feel comfortable being in an environment that was not practicing CDC guidelines. I mentioned myu concerns in faculty meetings, and the principal did not have answers to the questions. I then wrote a letter to CPS Talent Office on October 26th with many other concerns regarding cleaning, health, and safety. On that same day, they responded by saying that if I respond to the intent to return form, they will put together a better plan of action for a safe return to school. Since then, teachers that were in the building did not see things getting better. They reported to me that things were worse. I was made aware that administrators and lunchroom staff were not wearing masks and not social distancing. Coffee cups and food wrappers were being left in teacher's classrooms. After bringing situations like this to the principal and the Talent Office, I did not see anything changing. I asked several questions in our meetings with the principal again. He did not have many answers to my questions. On January 2nd, I wrote a letter to the CEO of CPS. I understand she is busy, but I thought I would have heard from her or her office by now. On Thursday, January 7th, I was threatened to show up for work. I received another notice the next day; this time, the threat said I would not be paid. On Friday, January 8, my principal met with a parent who wants to have her child in the building for class and me. He told the parent that there had been people in the building with COVID, but they did not get COVID from being at the school. How can he be sure of this? This is very alarming because CPS is supposed to report when they have cases at the schools. They have only reported one case at Locke School at this point. According to my principal, there have been parents, teachers, and a member of! the administrative team that has been in the building with COVID. Teachers in the building were not notified. I never said I would not work. I have been showing up virtually every day. I do not think that our schools are safe. I have mentioned this to my superiors several times, and nothing has been changed. One concern that was fixed was the preschool modules that I would have been teaching from were considered unsafe due to poor ventilation. That was a big concern for me. They moved the preschool teachers to kindergarten rooms, but now the preschool rooms will be used as a sick children's wellness room. COVID is an airborne disease. Why would you put sick children and staff in an area that is not safe due to poor ventilation? I do not think the best decisions are being made at this crucial time of COVID.
Source: Osha.gov | Receipt Date: 2021-01-11
