As Kevin wrote yesterday, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is turning to the court system in order to end the ongoing Chicago Teacher's Union strike. More than 350,000 students have missed school for over a week now, something Emanuel is calling a hazard to their health and safety.
Emanuel said the strike was illegal because it endangers the health and safety of students and concerned issues - evaluations, layoffs and recall rights - that state law says cannot be grounds for a work stoppage.
"This was a strike of choice and is now a delay of choice that is wrong for our children," Emanuel said in a written statement.
Some parents also seem to be getting irritated with the temper tantrum.
Working mom Dequita Wade said that when the strike started, she sent her son 15 miles away to a cousin's house so he wouldn't be left unsupervised in a neighborhood known for violent crime and gangs. She was hoping the union and district would work things out quickly.
"You had a whole week. This is beginning to be ridiculous," Wade said. "Are they going to keep prolonging things?"
While others sit back.
"I don't think they're wrong. The things they're asking for are within reason," said Pamela Edwards, who has sent her 16-year-old daughter to one of about 140 schools the district has kept open during the strike to provide meals and supervision.
Others said they understand why teachers are taking their time.
"As much as we want our kids back in school, teachers need to make sure they have dotted all their i's and crossed their t's," said Becky Malone, mother of a second grader and fourth grader, who've been studying at home and going to museums over the last week. "What's the point of going on strike if you don't get everything you need out of it? For parents, it'll be no more of a challenge than it's been in the past week."
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