CPS parents voice concerns over remote learning struggles

CHICAGO - Frustrated parents say they need help.

Wednesday will be day three of remote learning for Chicago Public Schools, but the district still needs to help tens of thousands of students log on.

Parents were lined up at Richardson Middle School Tuesday to pick up laptops so their children can finally learn from home.

“I'm happy because you can only do so much with a phone,” said CPS parent Angelica Guzman.

“Hopefully it will be easier for him and he'll stay on track,” said CPS parent Angela Tenorio.

CPS plans to hand out 100,000 computers and tablets to families who need them, but when remote learning started Monday, only about 11,000 had been distributed.

The Chicago Teachers Union president is giving CPS high marks for working hard, but says computer access is not consistent.

“I get the sense it's uneven depending on what part of the city we're talking about,” said CTU president Jesse Sharkey.

By the end of this week, CPS says about 400 schools will have handed out 60,000 devices to students.

“This is not fair to our children. We need help. This is not going to work. This remote learning is not going to work,” said CPS parent Marshanika Adams.

Adams also says she cannot afford internet service right now, while tens of thousands of others are not online at all.

CTU says the city needs to act.

“Use their market power and for the mayor to use her political power to basically say students should get free broadband internet,” Sharkey said.

Sharkey says it is an emergency as 355,000 Chicago students need to log on to learn.