CHICAGO _ Negotiators for Chicago Public Schools and the teachers union headed back to the bargaining table Friday morning as classes were cancelled for a seventh day amid optimism on both sides about the progress of talks.
The Chicago Teachers Union and some of the 7,500 support staff who also are on strike were planning another large downtown demonstration Friday afternoon, this time starting at Buckingham Fountain.
Union chief of staff Jennifer Johnson said Thursday night that it was "absolutely our hope" to be back in school on Monday. "We'll see where we are tomorrow but we are making progress."
Sybil Madison, deputy mayor for education and human services, said the CPS team remained focused on "trying to get to a place where we can have teachers and students back in school."
Parents share mixed reactions to Chicago Teachers Union strike: 'I just felt sad that we've gotten to this point.' �
The cancellation of Friday classes means the strike has now tied the last major CTU walkout of 2012 for duration.
The union is planning a large rally Saturday at Union Park.
