Chicago’s public school district and its teachers’ union reached a truce in their fight over Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s campaign to lengthen the school day, which the union contended violated its contract.
Under the agreement, the Chicago school system won’t ask additional district-run schools to lengthen their day this year beyond the 13 elementary schools that already voted to do so. In exchange, the union will drop its request for an injunction that aimed to block the district from pushing for additional votes on a longer day at other schools.
As for the schools that already have authorized a longer day, Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis said that “we’re not reverting anything back.”
Mr. Emanuel persuaded the schools to lengthen their day by 90 minutes by offering financial incentives, although the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board recently voted to block negotiations with more schools.
Chicago schools chief Jean-Claude Brizard called the deal with the union a “step forward.”
