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School closings

As CPS prepares to close a record number of schools, the fate of students and communities is in question.

teachers strike

September 17, 2012

On Tuesday, one of two things will happen in the ongoing Chicago teachers strike: The House of Delegates will suspend the strike, or they will send their leaders back to the negotiation table—a move that will likely kick off a complicated legal battle over whether the strike is legal at all. 

On Monday, Cook County Circuit Court Judge Peter Flynn declined to hold a hearing on the city’s motion for an injunction to “immediately” get students back in school, questioning why a hearing couldn't wait till Wednesday, when the strike could be over.

September 17, 2012

My kid is in a Chicago public school—a really good one, with selective enrollment, great teachers, and a great new “green” school building that is LEED-certified - but has no air conditioning. And here’s the thing: It's getting warmer earlier--in the 80's last March, and hot in school. You know what? It's hard to learn and to teach when it’s too hot. The heat makes it difficult to concentrate.

September 17, 2012

City lawyers filed a complaint in the Circuit Court of Cook County for a preliminary injunction that would end the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) strike immediately. Here are the court filings and CPS press release.

September 17, 2012

Mayor Rahm Emanuel is threatening to go to court today to end the Chicago teachers strike after union delegates decided to extend the walkout at least two more days while they review a tentative deal.

September 16, 2012

Within an hour after CTU’s House of Delegates refused to vote to suspend the week-long teachers’ strike, Mayor Rahm Emanuel issued a statement saying he has told city lawyers to ask a judge to force teachers to go back to work.

September 16, 2012

On Saturday night, the Chicago Teachers Union released the most detailed information so far on its "agreement in principle" with CPS. But nothing is final yet. The union's House of Delegates will meet Sunday at 3 p.m. at 2260 S. Grove to vote on three possible options: accepting the agreement and ending the strike; continuing the strike; or taking 24 hours to discuss the deal with rank and file members, and returning to vote on Monday.

September 15, 2012

An estimated 25,000 people gathered in Union Park Saturday to show support for the striking Chicago Public School teachers as negotiations over labor contracts continue.

 "We have a framework, we do not have an agreements," Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis told the crowd of red clad teachers and supporters.

September 14, 2012

The week-long Chicago teachers strike may be coming to an end.

CTU President Karen Lewis said that the union has worked out a "framework" with the school district. While she feels "extremely comfortable" with the framework, she says  she will wait to present it to delegates until she has it in writing.

On Sunday, she says the delegates will vote on whether to suspend the strike. A House of Delegates is scheduled to meet on Sunday, though an exact time has not been set. 

CTU officials refused to give any details of the tentative deal. 

September 13, 2012

As negotiations dragged on into Thursday night, it began to seem doubtful whether CPS and the union would reach a deal by Friday's 2 p.m. House of Delegates meeting.

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