Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel says he will seek a court order to end the teachers strike, and that the strike is illegal under state law.
"I will not stand by while the children of Chicago are played as pawns in an internal dispute within a union," Emanuel said in a statement. "This was a strike of choice and is now a delay of choice that is wrong for our children. Every day our kids are kept out of school is one more day we fail in our mission: to ensure that every child in every community has an education that matches their potential."
The Chicago mayor said the strike is illegal on two grounds — that it is over issues that are "non-strikable," and that the strike endangers health and safety of children.
Meanwhile, Union president Karen Lewis says teachers want the opportunity to continue to discuss the offer that is on the table.
"The union's House of Delegates declined to vote on whether to end the strike Sunday after hearing details of a tentative contract agreement" Lewis said.
She says the union's delegates will meet again Tuesday.
A proposed settlement was reached this weekend on sticking points that included teacher evaluations and job security.