The Nation - News from Sept. 29, 1987

A strike by Chicago teachers hit its 21st day, tying a record for the longest school strike in city history. Nationwide, about 490,000 students were affected by strikes in seven school districts in six states. Chicago’s dispute, the city’s ninth school strike in 18 years, idled 430,000 students, and only slight progress was reported. In Little Rock, Ark., Pulaski County Chancery Judge John Earl refused to order striking teachers back to their classrooms, saying the school board failed to show that the strike, which kept 26,000 students out of class, was causing irreparable harm to the district. Students began returning to classes in Edmonds, Wash., and Cassopolis, Mich.