Chicago Teachers Strike Enters Second Week

Striking Chicago public school teachers and their
supporters march through the streets on Sunday 

As we headed into the weekend this past Friday, it appeared as though Chicago teachers were prepping to end their week-long strike and return to their classrooms today. But the weekend came and went without the union signing off on the city's latest proposal. That means that 350,000 Chicago students awoke Monday to another unplanned vacation day.

The two main issues that appear to be holding up a strike-ending deal are teacher evaluations and job security. The union won't meet Monday to discuss the deal currently on the table because of Rosh Hashanah, but it is scheduled to reconvene Tuesday. That means, at the minimum, many Chicago parents will be scrambling to find alternative child-care arrangements for at least one more day.

The union and school leaders seemed headed toward a resolution at the end of last week, saying they were optimistic students in the nation’s third-largest school district would be back in class by Monday. But teachers uncomfortable with a tentative contract offer decided Sunday to remain on strike, saying they needed more time to review a complicated proposal.

Emanuel fired back, saying he told city attorneys to seek a court order forcing Chicago Teachers Union members back into the classroom.