In a story that’s becoming all too familiar across the country, the Chicago School District is facing a $400 million budget deficit with no easy way out. Unless district teachers accept a pay freeze, and maybe even if they do, the district will forced to lay off hundreds or thousands of teachers. Such a move could increase average class size in Chicago to 35.

In a contentious school board meeting that included parents threatening to move out of the district and one speaker making a list of concessions that teachers have made in cities around the country, the board approved multiple emergency powers for district CEO Ron Huberman. Huberman now has the power to lay off as many teachers as necessary.