AFT President And Families Upset Over Growing COVID Cases In CPS Schools

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago Public Schools is dealing with nearly five dozen new cases of COVID among students.

Yesterday, the district confirmed 58 cases among students.

Overall, this school year, 650 students have gotten the coronavirus. 207 adults also contracted the virus.

The increased numbers come as grieving family members rallied with teachers and parents at Jensen Elementary in Lawndale.

They want stepped up safety measures like on-site testing and temperature checks after two mothers of students died from COVID.

In the past two weeks, Jensen had eight COVID cases forcing hundreds of students to quarantine.

In light of the CPS COVID numbers, the president of the American Federation of Teachers is in Chicago and this morning she has angry words for Mayor Lori Lightfoot and school Superintendent Pedro Martinez.

Students at Englewood STEM high school gathered early to meet A.F.T President Randi Weingarten.

She had planned to tour several schools today to talk about COVID safety, but the Chicago Teachers Union says late last night CPS denied her access for today citing safety and instructional concerns.

"Where is the mayor? The new superintendent? The first action they did was to block us from being in the school with this beloved community," said Weingarten. "That doesn't make sense, what are they hiding? We need to work together."

We reached out to Mayor Lightfoot's office and to CPS for responses. CPS told us the district is "More than happy" to welcome Weingarten, and in a pandemic, CPS owes it to families and staff to ensure proper notice and planning.

A CPS spokesman also says that on his first day, CEO Martinez spoke to Weingarten and offered to rearrange his schedule to prioritize a meeting and school visits with her while she's in Chicago.

We haven't yet heard back from the mayor's office.