'The Five' rip Chicago Teachers Union for throwing children's classes into chaos over COVID: 'Illegal walkout'
Geraldo Rivera said, 'This is … absolutely cruel what they have done to these children.'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The Five" blasted teachers in Chicago who voted against in-person learning, causing classes to be canceled Wednesday and an unclear future for in-person learning for schoolchildren amid rising COVID cases in the Windy City.
"The Chicago Teachers Union's causing chaos and panic for over 350,000 after pulling the plug on in-person learning [and] thousands of families left scrambling after the union switched back to remote learning because its demands weren't met," Jesse Watters said.
Embattled Democratic Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said full-time remote learning causes children to suffer.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"There's no disputing that reality … We should not be politicizing the pandemic. That is a mistake and ultimately hurts our children and families," she said.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot at City Hall on April 15, 2021 (Jose M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
The union cited insufficient precautions for COVID-19 as the reason behind its decision. However, the co-hosts of "The Five" believe the teachers are being disingenuous.
CHICAGO MAYOR THREATENS TO WITHHOLD PAY AFTER TEACHERS UNION VOTES AGAINST IN-PERSON CLASSES
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The city of Chicago already got $2 billion in COVID funds for schools. So what happened to all the money?" Watters asked.
Judge Jeanine Pirro said the decision had nothing to do with COVID and blamed teachers for being lazy at the peril of students.
"Now, why are teachers saying it's not safe enough to go to school when they are in one of the most protected environments in the country? … It's because the teachers are lazy," Pirro said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Chicago Public School teachers, parents and students protest in the neighborhood of Mayor Lori Lightfoot on September 13, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
"For all the teachers who are afraid to go to school, 90% of whom are vaccinated [and work] among the least affected of our population – children – do they go to Dunkin' Donuts? Do they go to the supermarket? Do they get into an elevator to go to their apartment? Do they get on a bus? Do they go to the barbershop? Are they separating themselves from society at large, or are they just too lazy to go to work?" Pirro continued. "This is an illegal walkout. They should not be paid … Call it a day and replace them."
Geraldo Rivera called the move a "teachers' union ambush."
"I'm generally pro-union, but this walkout was clumsy," he said. "It was spiteful. It was absolutely devastating for these children's well-being. Where are they going to eat, some of these families now? I think it's absolutely awful. This is … absolutely cruel what they have done to these children."
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Greg Gutfeld chimed in and said, "We've learned one really important thing from remote learning. No one is remotely learning."
He added that he has "no sympathy for Lori Lightfoot" and her conundrum with the Chicago Teachers Union.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"By now, the people that refused to listen to us are saying, ‘Holy crap! What the ’f' are we going to do?' Well, you should've listened to us because we've been saying this for two years, you stupid morons," Gutfeld said.