(CNN) - Chicago's public school teachers hit the picket lines today. The strike is happening in the country's third largest school district and now about 350,000 students have nowhere to go.
With their teachers on the picket line, 350,000 Chicago school children spent the day either at home or at places like Sweet Holy Cross Church, where the doors were open for children to come eat breakfast and lunch, and watch movies.
At this point money doesn't seem to be an issue, teachers here make an average of more than 70,000 a year and have been offered a 16 percent raise over four years. The major sticking point is a proposed evaluation system that teachers believe will mean job losses. They also are striking some say because of the way they claim they're being treated.
"Teachers are under pressure, nationally teachers are being demonized for the ills of society, teachers need resources they need support."
The focus of a lot of anger on the picket lines seems to pointed directly at Chicago's Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Some teachers believe he's turned his back on them, which he told US Today couldn't be further from the truth.
"You like teachers right?" asks the reporter. "Of course, I love teachers and they work through very difficult circumstance. This is not about me, it's not about anyone else let's focus on what the education system is about. It's about our children. Their learning their opportunity."
The Board of Education along with several community leaders have asked teachers to return to work while negotiations continue, there's no indication at this point that the union will go along with that, which means unless there's a deal reached soon, classrooms will be empty again tomorrow.
