The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) strike entered its third day on Wednesday as Chicago’s School Board and Chicago’s teachers have yet to reach an agreement that would end the strike and get 350,000 kids back in school. Strong support exists on both sides, with many parents expressing frustration for their children missing school while swells of red (made up of teachers, parents, and community members) crowd the streets outside Chicago Public Schools (CPS) headquarters chanting for justice in education. Mayor Rahm Emanuel has told reporters that “This was a strike of choice. And it’s the wrong choice for our children” (CNN). Yet CTU and its president Karen Lewis argue otherwise, pointing out that the Union has the best interests of both students and teachers in mind, and that Emanuel is a “bully” for pushing through his educational philosophy with the help of his “billionaire friends.” “The only way to beat a bully is to stand up to a bully,” Lewis told a crowd of strikers near Emanuel’s office (The New York Times).

Of course, such strong rhetoric from both camps can sometimes overshadow what is really at stake in this strike, especially when the media isn’t necessarily unbiased and tends to depict CTU as the enemy for keeping kids out of school. Following five months of tense negotiations, there still remain much to be agreed upon, with priorities being teacher evaluations, job security in the form of a rehiring policy, compensation, benefits, and the general neglect that makes up public education. According to The New York Times, the union has only approved six of 49 articles in the contract.

Reporting on the CTU strike has landed outside of Chicago papers and news outlets and has found national and international attention, particularly because the outcome of the strike has profound implications in moving education forward globally. As such, it’s important to educate ourselves on the topic and take a holistic approach in understanding the system itself so we can better understand the causes for this monumental strike—the first in 25 years and one that received an outstanding 90 percent strike vote.

Here are Wednesday’s news stories from major media outlets that will update you on day three of the strike:

CNN: Chicago school strike this third day

The New York Times: Teachers’ Leader in Chicago Strike Shows Her Edge

Chicago Sun-Times: Chicago teachers union official: ‘This could be a long strike’

Chicago Tribune: CPS official hits union chief over ‘silly’ remark

Chicago Tribune: Photos: Scenes from the CTU strike

Chicago Tribune: Family, activists jump in to keep kids safe, active

Chicago Tribune: List of schools, sites open to students

WGN: Former Chicago alderman/professor talks politics on teachers strike

NPR: Striking Chicago Teachers And City Still ‘Miles Apart’ On Contract

WBEZ: School closings drive union’s push for rehiring policy

WBEZ: What does the country think of Chicago’s teachers’ strike?

WBEZ: Students chime in on teachers strike, and offer solutions

WBEZ: What’s really driving teachers to strike?

Huffington Post: Chicago Teacher Strike: No Deal Yet, Walkout Continues Into Third Day