Urban Prep teachers strike over pay, benefits

Teachers at Urban Prep Charter Academy are officially on strike today over wages, benefits and special education services.

Chicago Teachers Union officials and teachers from Urban Prep announced the strike at the Englewood campus Monday morning. 

The walk out impacts 650 students at Urban Prep's three campuses, including Bronzeville and the Loop. It’s the first teacher strike at the school.

And it comes as students prepare for a week of final exams.

The teachers said the timing is bad but blame the charter operator.

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The inconvenience now will help provide a better education for students for years to come, they said.

"We have been trying to land an agreement that respects our students, our families and the educators who serve them for three years, "said Urban Prep math teacher Dana Wilson.

"Roughly 30% of our students need special education services that are chronically short changed. Classrooms desperately need resources and our schools need stable staffing, instead of bloated bureaucracies and foot dragging on vital student needs," said Wilson.

The CTU said in a statement that "Urban Prep receives the same per pupil funding as every other CPS and charter school yet UP educators are at the bottom of the pay scale among unionized Chicago schools, With starting pay over $11,000 less than at CPS.

Monday is a remote learning day at the schools, but when students return to the classroom Tuesday the teachers say they will be walking the picket line.

FOX 32 reached out to Urban Prep management for comment but did not hear back.