'It's A Different Time Right Now': CPS Teacher Reflects On 2012 Strike, Present Strike

CHICAGO (CBS)-- Some Chicago Public Schools teachers have been through a strike before, back when they walked out in 2012.

And they say it's a very different strike.

They said this time, there's more of a focus on working and learning conditions, conditions that they feel haven't been addressed far too long.

Thousands of protesters rallied outside CPS headquarters, one of them was Michelle Suffredin. She is a CPS teacher of 16 years and tells CBS 2 she's worked on every side of the city and has been through this once before.

"It's a different time right now than it was in 2012," She said. "It's not quite as clear I think to everyone exactly what it is we are fighting for."

She's clearing that up.

"I am frustrated that it's so hard to staff schools," Suffredin said. I am frustrated that the social workers who comes to help my students goes to two other schools and works out of his car. I'm frustrated that we don't have a school nurse. And I am frustrated that we don't cap class sizes in Chicago like we do in other districts in the state."

Passionate about her second graders at Belding Elementary, Michelle says they're the reason she's here today. The reason she'll keep making noise.

Michelle said they only have a social worker in their school a couple days a week.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot and her team have said they're committed to adding hundreds more nurses, social workers and case managers to schools.