Apparently, the Chicago Public Schools have at least six “rank-and-file” dance teachers.
That sounds like kind of a lot of dance teachers for K-12 schools, but it’s a separate point. (Also a separate point, but worth pondering, is what role a non-rank-and-file dance teacher might be filling for the CPS.)
What the six rank-and-file dance teachers did, however, was collaborate to make a video of themselves expressing concern, through interpretive dance, about the proposed return to classroom learning in the coming school year this fall.
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The Chicago teachers’ union tweeted out their video on Saturday (h/t: Daily Wire):
Six of our rank-and-file dance teachers come together to use their art form as a voice to express their desire to feel safe amidst CPS' teacher return policy. They stand in solidarity with all educators at risk, because no one should have to choose between life and livelihood. pic.twitter.com/gajXH9PReE
— ChicagoTeachersUnion (@CTULocal1) January 23, 2021
(It may be necessary to click to start the video. For some reason it’s accompanied by a warning: “The following media includes potentially sensitive content.”)
“Six of our rank-and-file dance teachers come together to use their art form as a voice to express their desire to feel safe amidst CPS’ teacher return policy,” said the union. “They stand in solidarity with all educators at risk, because no one should have to choose between life and livelihood.”
As to the trend toward worker groups posting dance videos, most people might primarily be curious about the time and resources involved. There is also the discussion point that some segments of the public would be more interested to see dance videos with, say, oilfield workers, Navy SEALs, or chain restaurant waitstaff.
But Twitter users did have some other pertinent reactions.
no public school system should employ dance teachers.
— S2 (@Mstewable) January 26, 2021
A fruitful point for discussion.
Is this a parody account?
— Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) January 26, 2021
Is dancing on an icy bridge in the middle of winter safe??
— JBradley (@jbradley714) January 24, 2021
It is paid for whether they actually do it or not. Other studios don't get paid without instructing so that is safer.
— 5 Ks (@kx5inOR) January 26, 2021
This is yet another tragedy in all of this. These unions are largely made up of well intentioned people who would love to be teaching. Tons of good teachers facing backlash brought on by their union that doesn't represent their interests and that they were required to join.
— Travis Henry XVII (@XviiHenry) January 27, 2021
Visit the original tweet to view the near-100% negative “ratio” being administered by Twitter users. At Liberty Unyielding, our concern is that some of the dancers spend much of the video unmasked when in proximity to each other. By the end of the video each dancer has donned a mask, but the unmasked time at the beginning seems unnecessarily risky, and perhaps counterproductive for a communication appealing to forestall classroom contact for fear of spreading a virus.