Lori Torres was nervous about returning to teaching in-person this week in Chicago. Torres, 47, teaches Spanish to all grades at her preK-8 school and has a medical condition that puts her at increased risk for COVID-19, but her request to continue to teach from home hadn’t been approved.
Her short-term concern was addressed when the Chicago Teachers Union voted to stay remote while union and city leaders haggled over the safety of working conditions in buildings.
But Torres’ long-term concern – getting a vaccine before she returns to Monroe Elementary School – is unresolved.
Chicago Public Schools’ vaccination schedule for teachers won’t start until mid-February – and the