CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Chicago Public Schools has canceled classes for another day after the teachers' union and the district failed to reach a deal to end a week-long strike.CPS said Thursday school will not be in session Friday. Both sides say they've made progress in negotiations, but disagreements remain on big issues such as class sizes and staffing.
"I think that we have made some great progress and that has been very encouraging for us," CPS Chief Education Officer LaTanya McDade said.About 25,000 members of the Chicago Teachers Union went on strike Oct. 17, canceling school for more than 300,000 students. On Thursday, the union held nonviolent civil disobedience training for members, saying actions like shutting down streets may be necessary to increase pressure on CPS.
"You know we are still working through our conversations around some of the key issues like class size and staffing, like pay for our experienced educators, like paraprofessional pay, and then there are still lots of little details, but you know, the details are moving. It's been a good back and forth, but the open issues we are still trying to land," CTU Chief of Staff Jennifer Johnson said.
Johnson said it is absolutely the union's hope that the strike will be over for classes to resume on Monday.
Sybil Madison, Deputy Mayor for Education and Human Services said "we've had such a good conversation on many topics and we are encouraged about the progress we are making."
Chicago Teachers Union President Jesse Sharkey joined teachers and support staff Friday on the picket line at Lane Tech College Prep High School. He said yes there is optimism and added that the talks are at a sensative stage. He said the union is holding out for a three-year deal, not the five the city wants.
"You know five years, that's as long as a lot of marriages last and if you want us to marry you, we are going to have to really like it," he laughed.
He said the union is going to put in long hours at the table at the hopes of reaching a deal, but said he is not going to say they will get it done in time for classes to resume Monday.
"I'll just say we are working on it. We had progress, we are at a sensative juncture right now and I'm optimistic," Sharkey said.
The big issues still remain: class size and staffing.
Jacqueline Gilson works as the school's psychologist.
"I am the sole psychologist for 4,600 students. I did the math, that represents about 1.2 percent of the entire CPS population," Gilson said. "My national association recommends one psychologist for every 500-750 students."
The teachers have been doing civil disobedience training, and you can bet they are going to put it to use as they try to keep up the pressure.
But Sharkey was not the only one who joined striking teachers outside of Lane Tech. Students joined striking teachers on the picket line at Lane Tech College Prep on Chicago’s North Side on Friday.
"We are the students, we are the students, the mighty, mighty students," they chanted.
Some students joined teachers on the picket line since the first day of the strike. But on Friday, students held an organized protest supporting their teachers.
WBBM: Your sign says "I'm upset." Why are you upset?
"I'm upset because CPS students, we are already at a disadvantage if you take AP classes, because everyone in the country takes AP exams at the same time. We are already at a disadvantage because we start school after Labor Day and with the strike we are losing more and more time," said Lane Tech senior, Michelle Grant.
Maxwell Jenkins is a freshman and said, "the students are sick of being used by the system. I want everyone to know that we stand with our teachers and that Chicago is a product of the starvation of schools statewide. It is a product of the corruption of Springfield and how we are sick and tired of it.
"I want to see a fair contract, of course. I want to see our teachers be treated equally, be treated fairly."
He attended he said at the age of 5 in Madison, Wisconsin.
"Protesting and fighting the man has always been apart of my life," Jenkins said.
Jenkins has been on the picket line at Lane Tech and at his elementary school starting at 6:30 a.m. every morning.
Meanwhile, Mayor Lori Lightfoot is hopeful that the strike by Chicago Public School teachers and support personnel could be nearing an end. But, she agrees talks are at a critical stage.
At an unrelated event at O'Hare Airport, Mayor Lightfoot echoed Chicago Teachers Union officials, who say there has been significant progress to end the seven day walkout, but she sounded a note of caution too.
"I think today will reveal whether we're able to land this quickly or not," Lightfoot said. "I think if we don't make significant progress today it's going to be very difficult to get students back in classes anytime soon."
The Mayor said the city and CPS has asked the union to streamline the process for responding to contract proposals so they can do it quicker. But this is an important day, and as she said, "we'll see what happens."
The ongoing strike means student-athletes may not be allowed to participate in upcoming state competitions in cross country, football and other sports. That prompted legal action Thursday.
The teachers' strike has now lasted as long as the one in 2012.