Chicago students will be back in classes Jan. 12 after losing five days of instruction thanks to a walkout by the Chicago Teachers Union. The union forced more COVID-19 testing, but damaged students’ educations for the third time in 27 months to do so.

A nonprofit is dedicating $5 million in rescue funds to create more opportunities for students shut out of classrooms while negotiations between Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools drag on.

In the ongoing CPS-CTU feud, Mayor Lightfoot says teachers on strike will be docked pay, and the city is considering legal recourse. The union says classrooms aren’t safe, and they won’t budge until COVID cases drop or demands are met.

The Chicago Teachers Union’s refusal to conduct in-person classes is idling students for a second day. Students pay the price for a union ignoring the public health experts and other large districts.

Not only were there few hours to find child care for working families, but the word came as most people were asleep that the Chicago Teachers Union was forcing schools to close the next day.

Chicago schools closed Jan. 5 when the Chicago Teachers Union voted to keep members out of classrooms, trying to force an end to in-person learning over COVID-19 concerns.

Allowing teachers unions to hold students and homeowners hostage is not the norm.

No other state constitutions guarantee unmitigated powers to government unions, and 28 state constitutions don’t even find a need to mention labor.