Affordable housing is a legitimate issue in contract talks with Chicago teachers

Regarding your Oct. 10 editorial “Reality check to teachers’ union: Affordable housing has no place at the bargaining table,” I might agree with your view except for one point: Chicago teachers are required to live within the city, thus making affordable housing an important issue not only for students but for teachers personally.

If teachers were allowed to live in suburbs where the cost of living is cheaper, your point would have unquestionable merit. And if teachers must live in the city at a higher personal financial cost, certainly the extra half-hour of prep time is a reasonable request, so they are paid for the added work they must do.

This does not even cover added expenses most teachers incur on books and school supplies that are inadequately supplied by many schools.

Laura S. Edwards, Crystal Lake

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Kudos for two views on a teachers strike

The Sun-Times deserves a “Thank you” for stating, in just a few sentences in it Oct. 10 editorial, the view of many Chicago-area residents about the looming possibility of a strike by the Chicago Teachers Union.

“It’s time for the Chicago Teachers Union to get real: Stop wasting precious bargaining time pushing far-fetched demands while a potential strike looms over the city...A strike that would shut 296,752 students out of school for days or weeks.”

A “thank you” also should go out to longtime former teacher Nava Cohen of Chicago, who emphasized in a letter to the editor on Oct. 8 a fact about a longer school day that is known to many teachers. “I would encourage anyone touting the lengthened school day as ‘victory for the kids, the schools and common sense’ to observe — or better yet, teach — a class at the end of the day.”

Well said by both the editorial board and Ms. Cohen. Thanks!

Christine Craven, Evergreen Park

Republicans’ last-minute clucking against Trump

Why is it that only when they’re retiring from political office do Republicans like former Sen. Jeff Flake, Rep. John Shimkus, et. al., find the courage to do the right thing and denounce Trump?

They truly believe in party before country. I hear a “clucking” sound — as in chicken.

Melanie Wojtulewicz, West Lawn