FILE - This Sept. 10, 2012 file photo shows Chicago teachers walk walking a picket line outside a school in Chicago, after they went on strike for the first time in 25 years. Teachers in Chicago, the nation's third-largest school district, again are inching closer to a strike that could take place as early as next month. AP Photo/M. Spencer Green, File)
Chicago’s last major teachers strike was seven years ago, but the tone, issues and financial backdrop this time around are totally different. Still, shutting down roughly 600 schools could create major hassles for nearly 400,000 students and their families.The Chicago Teachers Union, which represents about 25,000 educators, argues that the district has repeatedly shortchanged schools over the years by cutting budgets.
CPS officials acknowledge the years of staffing cuts, but they say they are committed to increasing support staff after years of budget reductions and have publicized plans to add 200 social workers and 250 nurses over five years. District officials hoped to reach a deal before the school year began, but the union rejected the district’s last offer, which bumped the total raises over the five years from 14% to 16% and was based on an independent fact-finder’s report.
The district has said it doesn’t have money to lower class sizes further and argues that it has made progress. State data show class sizes remain, on average, below district targets. For example, most elementary grades hover around 20 students per class. Still, there are examples of overcrowding. One kindergarten class temporarily had 40 students this year. The union’s demands on class sizes have fluctuated.
Other school employee unions, including custodians and bus drivers, are also in contract fights that could lead to simultaneous strikes. The unions say the strikes elsewhere in the U.S. this year, in which teachers generally fared well, show the public is on their side.School officials recently approved a $7.7 billion budget and the borrowing of billions more to make critical facility upgrades.
lespemberon Unions are not working. Neither is the teaching methods when black young men can’t read!!
Not surprised in the least. Teachers are vastly underpaid and underappreciated.
Let's all be thankful that education is only part time...imagine the carnage if it was fulltime 🙏
I think $78,000 plus salary and health insurance and pension is a pretty fair deal, but sadly we all want more money. Raise the city tax and then you can pay teachers more, how about $100,000 salary.
Monkey See Monkey Do! Just Bcause the UAW is planning on a Strike doesn't mean U idiots should Strike. Most of U can barely speak English properly & U want every1 2 think U qualify as Teachers. I think Not! U Failed Miserably in the Home&Community=Gun Violence in the Projects.
Chicago is turning into a third world country, Shithole
The teachers should include having to teach homosexuality to kids as part of the talks.
Just abolish schools altogether. They teach nonsense these days anyway.
Again? They do this every single year as test scores fall. So much greed in the Democrat brain
America's Newest Outsourced Job: Public School Teachers via YouTube
Pay the teachers more than the city council !
This where Obama lives, correct?
Education Education Latest News, Education Education Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: BusinessInsider - 🏆 729. / 51 Read more »
Source: Reuters - 🏆 2. / 97 Read more »