Chicago teachers strike may be hurting students' bottom line
Impact on students widening as strike jeopardizes college admissions testing and threatens lucrative college scholarships
The Chicago Teachers Union strike is now posing a more personal threat to the students as they miss the 10th day of school.
Students may now face make-up days because legally the schools must have a 180-day minimum calendar. Even with 188 days already built into 2019-2020 academic schedule, Chicago schools have now dropped below the legal requirement, The Chicago Sun-Times reported.
This comes as the strike dealt a personal blow to college hopefuls in the Windy City with administrators announcing today's P/SAT test will not happen as planned.
It's also impacting the students' bottom line as lucrative college athletic scholarships may now be off the table.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, local bylaws require high school football teams to hold a minimum number of practices to play in state playoff games this Saturday.
Unless the teams practice Wednesday, they will reportedly have to forfeit.
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As for missed classroom time, the district could shorten its winter break or add on days at the end of the year. The latter option could allow teachers to recoup some pay lost because of the strike.
"The district is in the process of gathering a full understanding of potential outcomes and next steps regarding whether or not the district will make up school days missed beyond eight," district spokeswoman Emily Bolton told The Sun-Times. "The Board would have to vote to add on any additional student attendance days and the district hopes to have additional information and a decision prior to the November Board meeting."
EXPERTS TO CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION: CHANGING UP PENSIONS COULD FEEL LIKE A RAISE
The strike started roughly two weeks ago and has turned into a battle of the wills between union leaders and the city's Democratic Mayor Lori Lightfoot who has previously said the schools will not make up lost days, The Sun-Times reported.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot, joined by CPS CEO Janice Jackson, makes a statement about the Chicago Teachers Union strike on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019, at City Hall. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
The mayor reportedly met with teachers union reps for nearly four hours Tuesday but walked away with no deal.
"Are we really keeping our kids out of class unless I agree to support the CTU's full political agenda wholesale?" Lightfoot said at a news conference. "If the CTU wants a deal, there's a deal to be had right now on the table."
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The Associated Press contributed to this story.