Over 400,000 Chicago Students Affected By Teachers Strike

The teachers marched out in a day-long strike for better working conditions.

As thousands of union worker and teachers marched out into downtown Chicago last Friday afternoon in a strike for better educational funding and good contracts, the city’s students were left lacking behind.

Pegging onto U.S.’s third largest district with over a billion deficit as a result of its low credit rating, the teachers claimed they were protesting for the people of Chicago, the little above teenagers, who merit a better future.

Union President Karen Lewis during the march said, “We are here for not only the children of Chicago. We’re here for the young adults of Chicago. We’re here for people that deserve and are entitled to a real future.”

The demands of the public schools management was for the state to revisit and improve the teacher’s pension plans, as well as a complete restructure of the state school-funding formula.

But in this case  the affected are the innocent thousands of students who became victims of this strike.

Governor Rauner described the strike illegal, saying  “It’s shameful that Chicago’s children are the victims in this raw display of political power,” whiles Lewis, who in 2012 led teachers in a 7-day strike,  alleged Rauner was destroying Chicago’s schools.

Social studies teacher of King College Preparatory High School, Erik Young, said “We have so many issues, hopefully it sends the message that we are tired of not having a contract for 10 or 12 months.” Those who joined the teachers’ demonstrations were fast food sellers, airport, as well as university workers, whose march closed down the states James R. Thompson Center in downtown Chicago.

Opposing the union members strike, Democratic Mayor Rahm Emanuel said,  “I don’t want to see our kids punished on their education. They get one shot at it. I believe they belong in the classroom, learning.”