Chicago Teachers Case Goes to Court Wednesday

What's the rush?

The Chicago Public Schools system sought a preliminary injunction on Monday to end the city teachers' strike immediately, maintaining that state law "expressly prohibits" teachers from striking over noneconomic issues, including layoffs and teacher evaluations.

But a judge declined to hear the city's case on Monday, said Roderick Drew, a spokesman for the city's Law Department. A court hearing has been set for Wednesday morning, so hopes for a return of students to classrooms as soon as possible this week may again rest on the nearly 800 union representatives scheduled to vote on Tuesday afternoon on whether to lift the strike. If delegates do not vote to lift the strike, city lawyers will be ready the next morning to make their case.