Avoca teachers hold rally for a fair contract, issue warning about programming cuts
WILMETTE – Tonight teachers and other supporters plan to gather at a safe social distance just before the Avoca School District 37 Board of Education (BOE) meeting to push for the best contract for students, educators and the community. "We fear that positions will be cut and program offerings will be...
Greenville community comes together, sets up free childcare for educators during COVID-19
GREENVILLE - The Greenville Education Association (GEA) worked with Greenville First Christian Church and Greenville University to set up the Education Connection, which provides childcare for educators who work in Bond County Unit 2 School District. “If we didn’t do something, we’d have several teachers and other support staff who...
Minooka Teachers push to continue remote learning after Will and Grundy Counties see COVID-19 spike
MINOOKA – Tonight the Minooka Education Association (MEA) President Dave Barney will speak at the board meeting and encourage the Minooka Community High School District 111 Board of Education to continue remote learning instead of moving to a hybrid learning plan. District 111 serves more than 2,700 students from Grundy,...
Unions and Management Organizations Release Guidance for Teacher Evaluations
Joint Statement from the Illinois Education Association, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois Association of School Administrators, and the Illinois Principals Association on Guidance to Illinois Schools Districts on Managing Teacher Evaluation SPRINGFIELD - Illinois school districts will be working through the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for the foreseeable future....
Harvey Educators to distribute 2,000 bags of supplies to community members in need
HARVEY – The Harvey Education Association (HEA) will be holding a community drive-thru to distribute supplies like hand sanitizer, masks, disinfectant wipes and other much needed essentials to families and students in the South Suburbs on Saturday. “With school starting again, we want to make sure all our students and...
“Big Jim” stood tall for education employees, students and working families
During his four terms as Illinois Governor, Jim Thompson acquired a deserved reputation as a builder. His legacy includes scores of crucial roads, bridges and buildings, in every part of the state, that were constructed or restored under his leadership. But nothing Jim Thompson built, no legislation he signed into...
Joint statement from the IEA and the IFT: Unions File Amici Brief in Sangamon County court hearing on face coverings in schools
SPRINGFIELD –The Illinois Education Association (IEA) and the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) filed a joint amicus brief in support of a motion for preliminary injunction filed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to compel Hutsonville Community...
Burlington teachers hold car rally for student safety, raise concerns about school district’s return to learn plan
BURLINGTON – Tonight, teachers, community members, students and parents plan to gather in their cars and “honk to have their voices heard” at a car rally just before the Central School District 301 Board of Education (BOE) meeting. The COVID-19 pandemic means only a small group will be allowed to...
North Clay Educators Demand Fair Contract, Supports for Students
LOUISVILLE – After months of failed negotiations, the North Clay Education Association (NCEA) is calling for the North Clay Community Unit School District #25 Board of Education (BOE) to invest in the North Clay students, educators and staff. NCEA has been in contract negotiations with the BOE since April 23,...
Riverside Brookfield High School teachers, parents, students will rally tonight to advocate for full-remote learning plan
District still does not have official return-to-learn plan, less than one week until school starts RIVERSIDE – The Riverside Brookfield Education Association (RBEA) plans to rally tonight, ahead of this evening’s school board meeting, calling for Riverside Brookfield Township District 208 to put safety first and start the school year with...
Illinois Education Association President Kathi Griffin highlights importance of community metrics, safety measures in Gov. JB Pritzker’s press conference on face coverings
SPRINGFIELD – Today, Gov. JB Pritzker held a news conference in Chicago in which he announced a proposal he will introduce to the state legislature’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules to give local law enforcement and public health departments more options when trying to enforce mandates on face coverings...
Orland Park, Palos Hills and Tinley Park District 230 teachers push to start school year with remote learning, will hold car caravan to highlight unanswered questions
ORLAND PARK – Orland Park, Palos Hills and Tinley Park educators plan to take their concerns about the start of the new school year to the public. At 10 a.m. today, teachers from the District 230 Teachers’ Association (TA) plan to caravan in cars, calling for the adoption of...
Medical review panel will determine whether school districts are opening safely
SPRINGFIELD – Today, the Illinois Education Association (IEA) and the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (ICAAP) announced a medical review panel that will determine if school district re-opening plans are safe for students, staff and communities. The panel, which will consist of more than a dozen doctors,...
Hinsdale teachers push to start school year with hybrid learning plan, will hold socially-distanced rally to highlight unanswered questions
CLARENDON HILLS – Hinsdale and Clarendon Hills educators plan to take their concerns about the start of the new school year to the public ahead of a special Hinsdale Community Consolidated School District 181 Board of Education (BOE) meeting tonight. At noon today, teachers plan to stand six feet...
Joint statement from the Illinois Education Association and the Illinois Federation of Teachers on the start of the school year and enforcement of back-to-school plans, including health and safety strikes
SPRINGFIELD – The following is a joint statement from Illinois Education Association President Kathi Griffin and Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery: “Together, the Illinois Education Association and Illinois Federation of Teachers represent 238,000 employees in public and private schools, colleges and universities in the state of Illinois and...
Plainfield Teachers releases statement after District 202 Board of Education votes to start school with remote learning
PLAINFIELD – The Association of Plainfield Teachers President Dawn Bullock released the following statement tonight after the Plainfield School District 202 board voted to approve full remote learning to start the school year: “Tonight the Plainfield School District 202 board members decided to do what’s best for the health and...
Plainfield teachers push to start school year remotely, plan to surround district office with questions
PLAINFIELD – Plainfield educators plan to take their questions about the start of the new school year to the public and to the Plainfield School District 202 administrative offices. Thursday morning, teachers plan to stand six feet apart, wearing masks and holding signs with questions they’d like the Plainfield...
Teachers’ union plans to pursue legal action after local teacher fired
NEW BERLIN – The Illinois Education Association (IEA) will file an Unfair Labor Practice charge with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board (IELRB) against the New Berlin School District after Joe Kindred, the former New Berlin Education Association (NBEA) president, teacher and baseball coach, was fired. The IEA also is challenging the disciplinary action taken...
MEDIA ADVISORY: Illinois Education Association to make announcement regarding fired New Berlin teacher Joe Kindred
WHO: Illinois Education Association (IEA) President Kathi Griffin will join New Berlin Education Association (NBEA) members and supporters to make an important announcement regarding fired New Berlin teacher and former NBEA President Joe Kindred. WHEN: Wed., July 22 at 2 p.m. WHERE: Today’s announcement will take place virtually on Zoom. NOTE: To receive details for...
City Colleges Faculty stand up against program cuts that will negatively impact Black and Brown students
CHICAGO – Today, City Colleges of Chicago faculty members will rally at Kennedy-King College to fight cuts to popular degree programs at campuses across the city. These cuts have predominately impacted Black, Brown and immigrant student populations. Budget discussions for next fiscal year are currently underway at City Colleges. “This is...
