SPRINGFIELD – The following is attributable to Illinois Education Association (IEA) President Kathi Griffin regarding the decision by Gov. Pritzker to update the testing requirements for school employees, removing the requirement that unvaccinated employees test weekly:
“We are so glad to be taking this next step forward. The start of this school year has felt much more like a pre-pandemic year and that is great news for all of us. We have said all along that we should be following the science. Unlike earlier in the pandemic, we now have vaccines, vaccines to combat the newest variants, a variety of treatments and our hospitals are no longer overloaded. Because of all of this, we agree with the governor’s decision to lift the vaccine or test mandate. The safety of students, and all those who work with them in our schools across the state, has always been our number one concern. We hope this is just another sign that we’ve turned the corner and we can all start to work on recovery and rebuilding. Public schools strengthen communities in so many ways – academically, socially – they unite us.”
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At 135,000 members strong, the Illinois Education Association (IEA) is the largest union in Illinois. The IEA represents PreK-12 teachers outside the city of Chicago and education support staff, higher education faculty and support staff, retired education employees and students preparing to become teachers, statewide.
