catalyst-chicago.org

A union representing some Chicago Public Schools custodians has given notice that its workers may soon stop crossing picket lines in solidarity with the Chicago Teachers Union, whose members are on strike.

Service Employees International Union Local 1 Tuesday informed companies that employ about 1,800 of its members as custodial workers in city schools that those workers might go out on strike with teachers in 48 hours, according to Jerry Morrison, assistant to the president of SEIU Local 1. (Tribune)

Mayor Rahm Emanuel continued to sell his message that the Chicago teachers strike was “avoidable” as picketing teachers provided the background noise to a news conference at a Marquette Park school. The mayor had to sneak into the building past a crush of red-shirted teachers at Tarkington School of Excellence. (Tribune)

Gov. Pat Quinn was briefly confronted by striking Chicago Public Schools teachers today as he attended a memorial honoring Illinois soldiers who have died in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. (Tribune)

Teacher evaluations took center stage in negotiations between CPS and the Chicago Teachers Union on Tuesday, with Mayor Rahm Emanuel saying he believed teachers could not legally strike over some of the issues at hand but backed away from the idea of an injunction to try and end the strike. (Catalyst)

The walkout by more than 20,000 Chicago teachers strains traditional Democratic Party alliances and adds fuel to a national debate over whether teachers should be held accountable for failing public schools. (Los Angeles Times)

The Chicago teachers' strike could start long-overdue conversation about the state of schools. (Chicagonow.com)

Thousands rally in Chicago teachers' strike, pushing back against corporatized education reform. (Democracy Now)

The New York Times caught up to the Chicago strike story a little bit with its front-page profile of CTU President Karen Lewis, but still the newspaper still ignored all of the year's context and history, according to Substance News. (Note: New York Times posted the wrong link to its Lewis story, so Substance has the full story on its site here.

Students chime in on teachers strike, and offer solutions. (WBEZ)

IN THE NATION
The largest operator of online schools in the United States is being investigated by the Florida Department of Education over allegations the company may employ teachers who are not properly certified, a state official said on Tuesday. (Tribune)

California school libraries hit hard by budget cuts. (SFGate.com)