Thousands of kids will not have school today
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Classes in the Chicago school system will be without instructors Monday morning. Video by fox4now.com
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CHICAGO, IL - After months of negotiations, talks between teachers and the school district have failed.
Now, for the first time in 25 years, thousands of teachers and support staff in the Chicago school district will not show up for work today.
The teachers union has announced it will go on strike after contract talks with the school district failed over issues including pay, benefits and job security.
A spokesperson for the teachers union says they did not take this decision lightly.
School board president David Vitale says they offered what he called a fair and responsible contract. It covers four years and meets most of the union's demands.
Chicago mayor rahm emanuel suggests the strike was unnecessary since the two sides were close to reaching a deal and the school board is ready to re-open negotiations.
"...My team is available at any time now to pick up where we left off, so we can get our kids back in the classroom..."
Until the strike comes to an end, district officials say they plan to feed and monitor the students at the more than one hundred forty schools throughout the city.
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