The Chicago Teachers Union sued the Chicago school system last week in a bid to block the district from increasing class sizes.
In the lawsuit, the union argues that the proposed increase would violate city codes by creating overly crowded classrooms. The district had announced plans to increase the number of students to 35 per class in response to a $600 million budget deficit.
CTU President Marilyn Stewart, who faces opposition in a union runoff election, said that besides posing a safety hazard, the shift to larger classes would jeopardize children’s ability to learn. Class sizes currently range from 28 to 31 students.
District spokeswoman Monique Bond said the district “will never compromise students safety.”
