Thousands Gather in Support of Chicago Teachers
By STEVEN YACCINO
CHICAGO — Thousands of people gathered here on Saturday for a rally in support of public school educators who have been locked in a contentious contract battle. It was the largest show of union force since teachers in this, the nation’s third largest school district, went on strike nearly a week ago.
The crowd, which included some teachers and union supporters from Wisconsin and Minnesota, shook homemade protest signs in the air and wore the signature red T-shirts of the Chicago Teachers Union as they descended on Union Park, just west of downtown. The city skyline rose behind a stage from which a lineup of politicians, teachers, students and