CITY HALL — A parent group showed their support for teachers at demonstrations at multiple locations on Friday ahead of a possible strike next week.
"Parents Stand With Teachers," read a large sign unfurled at City Hall as a handful of parents passed out fliers.
"We want the mayor to notice because he isn't looking. We want the funds to make sure that the teachers get a fair contract," said Erica Clark, co-founder of Parents4Teachers, before the demonstration. "Teachers are important to the American Public School system."
Other demonstrations were planned at the Kennedy Expressway (I-90/94) over the Washington St. overpass, and at the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) over the Racine Avenue overpass.
Nora Gallagher, the parent of a first grader at LaSalle Language Academy in Old Town, came out to support her child's teacher.
"We need make sure that the mayor gives the teachers tools to succeed and that's not happening right now," Gallagher said. "No one wants a strike but this is the leverage that the CTU and parents have together to fund our schools. If there has be a strike to fund the schools, then we will stand with the teachers on that."
Nina Clark, a CPS graduate who is now a medical student, attended the event to show support for CPS teachers. She told DNAinfo that she wouldn't have made it to medical school if it wasn't for what she learned as a CPS student.
"I went through 12 years with amazing CPS teachers, so I think it is important to advocate for teachers and support them in every way possible," Clark said. "Advocating for teachers is advocating for the students because students can't learn without amazing teachers. I was fortunate to have to teachers who inspired me."
RELATED: TEACHERS, CPS SEE 'MOVEMENT' IN TALKS BUT NO DEAL YET, UNION SAYS
The union was required to give 10 days' notice before a walkout, making Oct. 11 the earliest date possible to strike.
"If we cannot reach the agreement by then, we will withhold our labor. It's time to move this along," CTU president Karen Lewis said at a press conference last Wednesday. "Technically, it means we are on strike as of Oct. 11 if we have not reached a tentative agreement."
Teachers have been working without a contract since June 2015, after CPS opted out of the final year of the previous agreement negotiated to end the 2012 strike.
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