Next week, on September 26th, the Chicago Teachers Union will be voting on whether or not they will strike this school year. The Mayor of Chicago offered the CTU a 5-year contract with a 16% pay increase over those years. I asked a few Chicago Public School students about their opinion on the matter. Ayana Loyd, ‘20, said, “Now is an important time to demand what is right, whether or not it’s convenient. I’d love to see the CTU strike, especially after the student led climate strike.” The CTU has their demands listed on their site. CPS student, Leilani Williamson, ‘21, displayed her support for these demands when she said,“They should strike. Teachers educate the people of the future. Why shouldn’t we pay them what they deserve?” The strike, however, isn’t just about the money. Many Chicago Public Schools are under resourced and understaffed, lowering the quality of education that some CPS students receive. Brianna Anthony, ‘22, addressed her concerns when she said, “I think that something needs to be done. I understand that in order to achieve this, the teachers will have to strike. I know that this will mean that the school year will have to be extended, but at the end of the day, not striking will hurt the schools and the teachers more than the additional days will hurt the students.” On September 15th, the CTU added a bargaining update onto their website. As of now, it seems as though the strike will occur. Updates will be made next weekend.