CHICAGO — Parents were universally relieved Tuesday morning as they dropped their kids at school just hours after a teachers strike was averted — but many also expressed frustration with the whole ordeal.
For weeks, a possible strike hung over the school year, but a last-minute deal was struck between Chicago Public Schools and the teachers union just before midnight Monday.
"I'm happy they avoided the strike. I feel like any break for [the students] is detrimental to their learning," said Pritzker Elementary dad Aaron Moser, who was walking his two daughters to the Wicker Park school at 2009 W. Schiller St.
Aaron Moser with his daughters en route to Pritzker Elementary the morning after CPS narrowly averted a teachers strike. [DNAinfo/Alisa Hauser]
Like many CPS parents, Moser had "all sorts of contingency plans" for what to do with his children Tuesday, he said, including bringing them to a neighbor's house where "a CPS parent support group" was forming. He was glad he didn't have to use them.
Many parents said they were anxious until word came late Monday that the school was on for Tuesday.
"I feel happy that it was averted but annoyed it took so long," said Kenny Zuckerberg, a Wicker Park resident who was walking his oldest daughter, a student at Pritzker Elementary, to school for an early morning program. "We were frantically making all sorts of plans yesterday."
Zuckerberg said he supports the teachers, but didn't think a strike was the right way for them to fight for revisions to their contract.
"I don't support what I see is a lack of empathy for parents. If there is a strike, it should be in a way that is less disruptive to parents. I support the right to strike, but not the method," he said outside the school at 2009 W. Schiller St.
Outside Swift Elementary School, 5900 N. Winthrop Ave., parent James Kitia lamented the tension the threatened walkout caused.
"It's good because the kids go back to school, and hopefully, the teachers get what they want. But it's bad because it gave a lot of stress to parents, gave a lot of stress to kids," said Kitia, whose son goes to the Edgewater school.
Of the contract negotiations going down to the wire, Kitia said, "They shouldn't be playing political games with parents and kids. It's not good."
Parent Nancy Perez, whose child is a seventh-grader at James Monroe Elementary, 3651 W. Schubert Ave., said the teachers deserve the contract, but, "I wish they had better ways to contact [parents]."
"Are you going, or are you not going? It's hard. It's a long night," Perez said.
At Walter Payton College Prep, 1034 N. Wells St., Rob Barutvan was among many students who were rushing to class at the start of the school day.
"I was expecting a strike, but it's good to be back in school," said Barutvan, a senior at the Near North Side school.
"A lot of students didn't plan on having school today," said Anjali Shinde, who was dropping her 10th-grader off at Payton. "My daughter is very tired."
"It's a great day to be a Chicagoan," sayd Bryan Quinlan, an assistant principal at James Monroe. "I think everyone's happy to be in school."
Well, maybe not everybody.
"I'm a little sad and a little glad," said seventh-grader Yaquelin Hernandez outside Peirce Elementary School, at 1423 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. "I'm sad because I'm tired and wanted to sleep. But I'm also glad to be able to see my friends again."
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here.
