Chicago Public Schools suffering from 'chronic absenteeism' by teachers as union demands higher pay: report

The Chicago Public School strategy is suffering from "chronic absenteeism" among teachers who've skipped much than 10 days of the 2023-2024 schoolhouse year, according to a caller report.

State records amusement that implicit 41% of CPS teachers exceeded 10 days of lack past year, the Chicago Tribune reported. These absences are successful summation to the built-in abrogation clip allotted to teachers for the schoolhouse year, which includes 10 days for wintertime break, 5 for outpouring interruption and 8 further days disconnected for holidays, according to the outlet. 

CHICAGO DEMOCRAT SOUNDS ALARM AS 55 SCHOOLS REPORT NO PROFICIENCY IN MATH OR READING: ‘VERY SERIOUS’

Chicago Teachers Union president Stacy Davis Gates, left, stands with Mayor Brandon Johnson arsenic helium arrives astatine the Legler Regional Branch of the Chicago Public Library connected Feb. 7, 2024.  (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

"Those 10 days correspond a statistical benchmark the assemblage uses to show ‘chronic absenteeism’ among teachers," the Tribune wrote.

The study comes amid ongoing declaration negotiations with the Chicago Teachers Union, who are demanding a 9% yearly rise for teachers. The median wage for CPS teachers is adjacent to $95,000, according to the outlet.

The teachers’ national is calling for an other $50 cardinal successful backing to screen wage hikes arsenic good arsenic different demands. For instance, the wealth would beryllium utilized to supply afloat paid abortions for its members, caller migrant services and facilities and a big of LGBTQ-related requirements and grooming successful schools.

The monolithic demands are being made contempt its members delivering underwhelming results for its students. Only 21% of the city’s eighth-graders are proficient readers, according to the Nation’s Report Card, which provides nationalist results astir students’ performance.

CPS Chief Labor Relations Officer Miguel Perretta said the territory cannot spend the raises demanded by the national and does not mean to concede, ABC7 reported.

STUDENTS LEFT BEHIND AS CHICAGO HIGH SCHOOL SUFFERS FROM STAFFING ISSUES, TEACHER ABSENCES: REPORT 

In September, students astatine a Chicago precocious schoolhouse were near without a teacher for respective weeks owed to chronic absenteeism by educators, the Chicago Block Club revealed astatine the time.

CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 24: Members of the Chicago Teachers Union gathered astatine a rally up of an educators onslaught connected September 24, 2019 successful Chicago. (Photo by Scott Heins/Getty Images)

"About 46 percent of the teaching unit had much than 10 absences successful 2023, according to CPS data. That means astir fractional of Clemente teachers missed the equivalent of astatine slightest 2 weeks of school," the outlet reported.

In June, Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates told a quality vigor host that conservatives bash not privation Black children to read, adding that it is "part of the oath they instrumentality to beryllium close wing."

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE MEDIA AND CULTURE NEWS

Gates seemingly doubled down connected the comments pursuing President-elect Donald Trump's victory, demanding successful a missive to Mayor Brandon Johnson that the teaching of Black past beryllium included successful the teachers' contract, ABC7 reported.

"We are disquieted that, successful the property of Trump, teaching Black past could beryllium a occupation successful the metropolis of Chicago due to the fact that of the restrictions that the national authorities whitethorn spot connected curriculum," Gates wrote.

The Chicago Tribune called the wage petition "outlandish" successful an editorial connected Sunday.

"So it’s just to inquire arsenic CTU continues to marque outrageous demands of metropolis and authorities taxpayers, what precisely are Chicagoans getting for the $30,000-per-student they are presently paying, the highest per-student concern successful Illinois? Why is it that each we perceive from CTU is demands for more, but we ne'er perceive thing from the national astir what its members beryllium the taxpayers (and parents) of this city?" the committee wrote.

CPS did not respond to Fox News Digital's petition for comment.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News' Joshua Q. Nelson contributed to this report.