Community members, teachers plan to pack school board meeting, ask board members to give baseball coach his job back
NEW BERLIN – Several parents, community members and teachers all plan to speak in support of recently dismissed teacher and former New Berlin Education Association President Joe Kindred at the New Berlin School District 16 Board of Education (BOE) meeting tonight. At its last board meeting on July 25,...
MEDIA ADVISORY: Community rally in support of New Berlin teachers
WHAT: Community rally to support the New Berlin Education Association (NBEA) WHEN: Thurs., July 2, 6 p.m. WHERE: New Berlin High School (300 W. Ellis, New Berlin) NOTE: Community members, students, parents and teachers are expected to gather in support of New Berlin teachers. Former high school math teacher and baseball coach Joe Kindred was...
New Berlin Board of Education retaliates against teachers’ union
NEW BERLIN – Today New Berlin Education Association (NBEA) Co-President Tonya Delaney released a statement denouncing the actions of the New Berlin Community School District 16 Board of Education (BOE) vote to suspend NBEA Co-President Joe Kindred and to move toward terminating Kindred. The BOE made the decision during its...
Illinois Federation of Teachers and Illinois Education Association Reacts to ISBE’s In-Person Instruction Guidelines
Today, IFT President Dan Montgomery and Illinois Education Association President Kathi Griffin released a joint statement in response to ISBE’s 2020-21 school year transition plan SPRINGFIELD - The following is a joint statement attributable to Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) President Dan Montgomery and Illinois Education Association (IEA) President Kathi...
New poll shows Illinois parents have exceptional view of public educators
First education-related COVID-19 poll reveals parents are more concerned about their child’s education than financial issues, access to food and social distancing SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Education Association (IEA) today released poll results showing the COVID-19 school building closures have given Illinois parents a greater appreciation for all school employees, from...
District 205 educators’ unions organize massive snack giveaway for students in need
DOLTON – The Faculty Association of District 205 (FAD205) in conjunction with the Union of Support Staff (USS) will be giving a truckload of chips, pretzels and other snacks away to students in the South Suburbs again today. The snacks will be handed out in addition to the meals...
Statement of IEA President Kathi Griffin on deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Aubery and Breonna Taylor
SPRINGFIELD – Please attribute the statement below to IEA President Kathi Griffin, in regard to the recent deaths of George Floyd while being taken into custody this week by Minneapolis police; Breonna Taylor, who was sleeping in bed in Louisville, Ky., when police burst in to serve a warrant...
Message from IEA President Kathi Griffin
IEA Member Colleagues, I hope this message continues to find you and your loved ones in good health. I wrote to you last week to tell you about our three goals for last week’s legislative session: Protecting and maintaining state support for public education at all levels so our students...
IEA pushes for, helps pass legislation to protect students, educators, public schools during COVID-19 pandemic
SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois Education Association (IEA) worked with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, the governor’s office and other education stakeholders to ensure, regardless of the coronavirus pandemic, schools will be provided adequate state funding for public education. The budget bill passed both chambers late Saturday and...
With threat of dozens of layoffs looming, Canton educators call for school district to put students first
CANTON – The Canton Education Association (CEA) will attend the Canton Unit School District 66 school board meeting tonight to urge the board to reconsider reductions in force (RIFs) that would leave nearly 30 educators without a job. CEA is asking for continued transparency in the process and for...
IEA’s public education priorities
IEA Member Colleagues, It is my hope that this message finds you and your loved ones in good health. All of you, education support professional staff who continue to provide lunches for the neediest of students; to the teachers working through the new world of remote learning; to our higher...
Teachers will get credit for remote learning transition, clock hours will count toward teachers’ license renewal
COVID-19 school building closure jeopardized thousands of teacher licensure renewals SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Education Association (IEA) announced in a video on Facebook today that teachers and paraprofessionals can earn Professional Development clock hours for time spent transitioning from in-person learning to remote learning. Thousands of educators from across the...
Springfield educators hurt by District 186 Board of Education decision to make drastic cuts to employee health insurance
Springfield – Springfield Education Association (SEA) and Springfield Ball Charter Education Association (SBCEA) will attend the District 186 Board of Education (the board) meeting tonight to urge the board to reconsider a decision to make $1.4 million in cuts to employee health insurance. “We are in the middle of a...
MEDIA ADVISORY: IEA celebrates National Teacher Appreciation Week, will make a special announcement to help combat teacher shortage
WHAT: The Illinois Education Association (IEA) will hold a weeklong, virtual celebration for Illinois teachers coinciding with National Teacher Appreciation Week. WHEN: National Teacher Appreciation Week 2020 is May 4-8. To kickoff the virtual celebration, the IEA created a Zoom background for Illinois students to use during their remote learning classes...
Statement from IEA President Kathi Griffin regarding Governor Pritzker’s Executive Order
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Education Association (IEA) President Kathi Griffin released the following statement in response to the executive order issued today by Gov. JB Pritzker: “We support Gov. JB Pritzker’s decision to close our school buildings through the end of the year. This decision was based on facts and scientific...
IEA vows to keep fighting for teacher and working families, after Supreme Court ruling
Court’s decision in Margaret Dynak case will likely impact thousands of education employees annually WOOD DALE – The Illinois Education Association (IEA) plans to take its fight to protect working parents to the Illinois General Assembly. The announcement comes after the Supreme Court issued a decision today in Margaret Dynak...
Bloomington-Normal educators create searchable, remote learning resource webpage for parents, community members
BLOOMINGTON – The Unit Five Education Association (UFEA) launched a new website to help parents and other community members easily access remote learning resources for students. All Illinois schools remain closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We miss our students. We miss being in school with them. We know this...
Statement from Illinois Education Association President Kathi Griffin on lllinois’ “stay at home” order, schools staying closed until April 8
SPRINGFIELD – Today, Gov. JB Pritzker ordered Illinois residents to “stay at home” starting Sat., March 21 at 5 p.m. and ending April 7 in an effort to slow the spread of the novel COVID-19 virus. Illinois Education Association (IEA) President Kathi Griffin issued the following statement: “Our hope is...
Joint statement from Illinois education stakeholders on COVID-19 school closure
The stakeholders responsible for educating the students of Illinois worked together over the past several days to reach an agreement on a series of commitments that provide stability for all educators and guidance for districts in these unprecedented times. We are proud of the fact that in the State...
Illinois Education Association President Kathi Griffin statement on statewide school closure
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Education Association (IEA) President Kathi Griffin released the following statement after Gov. JB Pritzker announced Illinois schools will be shut down beginning on Tues., March 17: “In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we applaud the Governor for taking action to keep our students, our schools and...
