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STRIKEWATCH SCHOOL-BY-SCHOOL: Eberhart on Day One of the Chicago Teachers Strike of 2012

Joe Linehan - September 11, 2012

The first day of the Chicago Teachers Union strike was a rousing success at Eberhart Elementary School on the Southwest Side. Parents, teachers, and students united to surround the giant grammar school that normally serves over 1,800 students from 6:30 until 10:30 on Monday Morning. Despite the appearance of a couple of civil servants who arrived at 7:30 to ticket cars, the mood was high.

Pickets in front of the huge (1,800 students) Eberhart Elementary School on the first day (September 10, 2012) of the Chicago Teachers Strike of 2012. Substance photo by Joe Linehan.Inside, 6 students showed up to receive two meals and play games monitored by 53 adults including scab Osiris Alday. This remarkably low number came despite the school having 3,700 students assigned to it with over 95% of them on free or reduced lunch.

Support was highly evident as passing motorist honked to show their support. When several teachers went to McDonalds for a bathroom break, they reported people telling them they supported the strike. Another group used the police station on 63rd and Saint Louis and received a standing ovation from the police officers inside.

Parent Vanessa Flores came to show her support to the strikers declaring at first, "I don't want to talk about this because I'll get emotional and start crying." She then went on to describe he family's long love affair with Eberhart and her immense gratitude to the teachers who worked there saying, "the teachers really care. They deserve a contract and so much more."



Comments:

September 11, 2012 at 7:58 PM

By: Paula Marshall

Eberhart Article

And thank you Joe for the great job you do:) we are great at Eberhart and everything we do!

September 12, 2012 at 2:39 PM

By: Sally Oceguera

I support you all.

I commend you and support you all the way. Best of luck. Hang in there. It's worth the effort.

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