On Feb. 10, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) made a public announcement that the COVID-19 vaccine, which had very recently been approved to be given to the public, is not mandatory for the reopening of schools across the United States. This is the first sign of hope as parents across the country await the day their children may return to school in person.

Chicago, in particular, has needed this news to reopen schools with the reluctance of the Chicago Teachers’ Union (CTU) to return in-person instruction as they fear they may catch the virus from the children. 

Brandon Michon, the man who spoke up at a school board meeting in a viral video, calls out the teachers for being “cowards hiding behind our children as an excuse for keeping schools closed.” He, like many other parents, have struggled to teach their children how to navigate the internet while simultaneously working their at-home jobs.

Many students have been void of attending and failing classes remotely. In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Mayor Lori Lightfoot explains her view on remote learning for young students.

“In this pandemic, social life has been completely torn from so many of our young people. Our 3-, 4-, 5-year-olds? Their social-emotional learning is absolutely central to their growth, and yet we see them learning on screens. We know that’s not the best way for them to learn.”

It has been confirmed now that schools throughout Chicago have begun to reopen now with the new guidelines to remain safe as similarly to the past two semesters at LHS with the first semester having students in school 25% of the time and now 50%. 

This gives parents and kids struggling with online classes a sense of hope as they begin to return to a hint of normalcy. The news of the vaccine not being mandated for the reopening of schools has caused Chicago to step forward to returning to schools.