jesse sharkey, welcome to democracy now!k about the issues, why the teachers union and seiu locals have decided to strike. >> thank you. right now we are bargaining, trying to avoid a strike civil. we have a mayor who ran on the promise of educational equity, providing basic supports in our schools. we have a contract that expired at the end of last year. asking forthe table a nurse in every school every day. most chicago schools have a nurse one day a week. we asked for supports for special education case managers, librarians. we have about 120 librarians in the entire city. , wear the district has said will bargain with you on what does on money and benefits, but not on the other things.s. like t their danglining money ad when we don't take it, they become upset we are not bargaining in good faith. our insistence is the things which make school high-quality, by wraparound services come all the things which students need have to be in a collective bargaining agreement. that is been our position for years. it is just that no

union president jesse sharkey rejected the call for teachers to return to classrooms. >> she wants uson the most basic things we are asking for. john: lightfoot was elected only progressive agenda and an education platform that includes some of the changes the union is asking for. now she says the city can't afford them. >> there is a finite amount of money available. we are barely two years away from a moment where cps was on the verge of insolvency. john: striking teachers say she has turned her back on her pledges. >> i have students that te medicine. i don't have a nurse to help me out. john: parents scrambling to find talkse for their kids a drag on. some say they still stand behind the teachers. >> we know it is a sacrifice we need to make. john: the union said they will be back on the picket lines again tomorrow. negotiators have been meeting every day since the strike began. education reporter brandis friedman has been covering the strike for chicago tonight on w ttw. what is your sense of how far apart the two sides are? brandis: it is kind of hard to tell. over the weekend i