(Image source: Chicago Tribune )

BY CHRISTINA HARTMAN

After a week of striking in the nation’s third-largest school district, Chicago teachers announced Sunday they plan to continue — a decision Chicago Public Schools Board President David Vitale called “disappointing.”

VITALE, VIA WGN : “Our kids cannot be used as pawns in internal union disagreements. Every day the students are out of the classroom is a day that they lose."

And now — Mayor Rahm Emanuel is filing a court injunction to force an end to the strike, in a statement saying:

“... there is no reason why the children of Chicago should not be back in the classroom. ..”

Union president Karen Lewis says teachers aren’t happy with the agreement as is — and say they probably won’t vote to end the strike until Tuesday or later so members could go over the contract offer.  (VIDEO FROM ABC )

CNN : “This is 180-page document and they want a couple days to digest it, to have discussions with their membership. So it’s not that the deal is dead, they just want more time.”

According to the Chicago Tribune , the proposed deal includes:

- A 3-year contract , with an optional 4th year
- 3 percent raises in years 1 and 4
- 2 percent raises in years 2 and 3


Teacher evaluations would also reportedly be eased, and select teachers who’ve been laid off could be recalled. The union has more than 700 delegates, but they can only end the strike — not approve the contract... that will go to a full membership vote.