PARMA, Ohio — Wednesday was day seven on the picket line for teachers at Summit Academy in Parma and there's no end in sight.
Teachers are demanding smaller class sizes, more staff, clean and safe classrooms among other things for kids at their special needs school.
So far negotiations with Summit Academy Management have broke down each time they get together.
Students and parents are speaking out and putting their support behind the teachers.
"She went from being the problem child to being the example, the I wish I had a classroom full of Aurora's ," said Summit mom Abby Fischer about her daughter Aurora.
Aurora has ADHD and she suffers from bipolar disorder, she didn't do well in mainstream schools
"She was having frequent outbursts, it got to the point where I was getting called to pick her up most days a week," said Fischer.
Once she transferred to Summit in Parma with teachers who specialize in helping students with special needs, Aurora Fischer says she fit right in.
"It was awesome, I had friends who understood me, I had teachers who understood me and wouldn't just kick me out everyday," said Fischer.
Now instead of thriving in her classroom, Fischer's at home while her teachers are on strike
"I want more teachers so the classroom sizes can be staffed, and I want my school to be safe," she said.
The mother-daughter pair say they support the strike, because they too have realized the quality of education has been declining.
"When she first started at Summit, they had music, art, gym and martial arts," said Abby Fischer. "There's no music anymore, there's no gym anymore."
They also complain the classrooms are overflowing with kids and the staff has been significantly cut down.
"I miss reading, i miss having fun with my friends, I miss--I even miss math, I never thought I'd be saying this but I actually miss math," said Aurora Fischer.
Negotiations with both sides are scheduled to continue Thursday.
RELATED: Faculty at Summit Academy in Painesville file for union recognition
