Chicago Teachers Strike Leaves 350,000 Students With No School

25,000 teachers in Chicago went on strike Monday, after intensive contract negotiations between the city and the teachers union failed over the weekend.

Chicago is the nation's third largest school system and the strike affects 350,000 students and their families. The school system has been making contingency plans, including opening 144 schools for part of the day to provide breakfast and lunch, but thousands of parents are scrambling today to re-arrange work schedules and find places to take their children.

While both the teachers' union and the city have said they will keep negotiating, reports say they remain far apart on critical issues, including job security, salaries and benefits, and teacher evaluations.