Bernie Sanders Endorses Minneapolis Teachers' Strike

MINNEAPOLIS — Sen. Bernie Sanders Thursday threw his support behind the Minneapolis teachers and their strike, which is now on its third day.

"The time is now to invest in public education," Sanders tweeted. "I am proud to stand with [Minneapolis] educators who are on strike for decent pay and better working conditions."

Teachers and district administrators remain deadlocked on a new contract.

Greta Callahan, the head of the Minneapolis teachers' union, is urging her colleagues to not back down, saying they are on the right side in their "historic strike."

"Our fight is against patriarchy, our fight is against capitalism, our fight is for the soul of our city," she told a large crowd of teachers during a rally at the Minnesota State Capitol Wednesday.

In a news conference Wednesday, Minneapolis Public Schools Superintendent Ed Graff said the district simply doesn't have the money to fund everything that the teachers union wants.

"We're still very far apart in terms of where those proposals are, nearly $100 million differences," Graff said. "With our budget, I don't see a way out of that."

View the details of the proposals here.

During the strike, one meal bag with one breakfast and lunch per student will be available for pick up daily at school starting on Wednesday. Parents should check for specific pick-up hours at their school.

Call (612) 668-0230 or email [email protected] for more information on resources for parents and students during the strike.