Illinois Federation of Teachers

Today, we honor all veterans—those in our union family and across the country—who have served with courage and commitment.

Your dedication to protecting our democracy inspires us all.

Read the full statement: https://www.ift-aft.org/post/stacy-davis-gates-labor-and-community-organizing-must-fill-the-void-left-by-democrats-lack-of-lead

Illinois Federation of Teachers and Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates issued the following statement regarding the Senate’s vote to capitulate to Republicans without protecting health care.
@ctulocal1.bsky.social

I saw those laid-off faces as a kid. Now I'm seeing them again at our universities | Opinion Elected officials need to choose to invest more in higher education than corporations, writer says.

Read more from newly-elected IFT Membership Secretary & University Professionals of Illinois President John Miller:

It's a choice of corporate welfare over education, of poverty wages over living wages.

We can and must fix this: Release higher education funding, pass an equity funding formula, and invest in our students and working families instead.

IL gave Amazon $741 million in tax breaks. Meanwhile, university workers earn $16/hour and get offered 8¢ raises.

In 2000, IL funded 75% of public university costs. Today? Just 35%. This is why students leave Illinois. It’s why programs are cut. It’s why communities suffer.

Trump admin tells states to 'immediately undo' steps to fund November SNAP benefits The Trump administration late Saturday directed states that they must "immediately undo" any actions they have made to provide benefits to low-income families via SNAP.

SNAP feeds 1 in 8 Americans. This is a direct attack on working families. 

Read more from NPR:

Our members see the impact of hunger every day. Students can't learn if they're hungry. 

Now, the Trump administration is telling states to undo SNAP funding during a shutdown they caused. And state budgets are having to try to pick up the slack.

Congrats to our members in AFT Local 604's Valley View Council!
Valley View staff were in bargaining since Jan. & finally reached an agreement with the district last month that shows real commitment to investing in students & ensuring staff are valued. #whenwefightwewin

We showed up in Springfield not just to speak truth to power, but to BE the power. 

Our union is rooted in solidarity, driven by justice, and grounded in the belief that we decide what Illinois becomes. Join us.

This is what transformation looks like. This is what solidarity feels like. And this is just the beginning. Fully funded schools. Accessible healthcare. A go... Thank you, IFT. A message from President Stacy Davis Gates

This is what transformation looks like. This is what solidarity feels like. And this is just the beginning. 

Fully funded schools. Accessible healthcare. A government that works for us. That’s not a dream, it’s our demand.

IFT Recap: Convention, Lobby Day, and Statewide News Convention Round-up: Inspire, Fight, TransformTwo weeks ago, 400 IFT members gathered in Rosemont to inspire, fight, and transform, and unanimously elected new officers. Here are the highlights:I.F.T. • Gov. JB Pritzker recognized the importance of educators and committed that there’s more to do to make Illinois #1 in education. Watch the speech here. • Mayor Brandon Johnson, our union brother, spoke about the need for us to unite and organize. Watch the video here. • AFT President Randi Weingar

Check out the recap and see how we’re making moves together: 

The last few weeks have been incredible. A bold start to this new chapter of IFT! 

From powerful moments at our convention in Rosemont to speaking truth to power during Lobby Day in Springfield, our new leaders and members are stepping up and showing what solidarity looks like.

Cities, Unions, Civil Society Organizations Sue Trump-Vance Administration for Weaponizing Public Service Loan Forgiveness to Silence Critics and Stifle Dissent Suit Seeks to Halt Radical PSLF Rewrite in United Front Against Department of Education’s Unconstitutional Attack on Teachers, Nurses, First Responders, and Advocates

As a result, @aft.org joined cities, unions, and civil society organizations in filing a federal lawsuit against the Trump/Vance administration for illegally weaponizing Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).
Read more 

Trump's new Public Service Loan Forgiveness rule targets organizations and jurisdictions whose missions and policies do not align with Trump's political positions on immigration, race, gender, free speech, and public protest.

November is Native American Heritage Month - a time to recognize and celebrate the heritage of indigenous peoples.

Bring their perspective into your classroom with resources from @sharemylesson.bsky.social.
🔗 https://sharemylesson.com/collections/indigenous

CTU and IFT President Stacy Davis Gates on Rep. Jesús Chuy Garcia’s Retirement from the U.S. Congress

🔗 https://www.ift-aft.org/post/ctu-and-ift-president-stacy-davis-gates-on-rep-jes%C3%BAs-chuy-garcia-s-retirement-from-the-u-s-congres

No family should go hungry in the United States. That's why we're stepping up and helping feed our communities. Scan the QR code or click the link below to learn more about how you can help #EndHunger in your area.
🔗 https://www.feedingamerica.org/ways-to-give/food-drives

Over the weekend, judges ordered the Trump administration to continue partial SNAP funding using emergency reserves because the administration halted payments during the government shutdown. Millions of families now face reduced and delayed benefits.

School attendance falls in Chicago as fear of ICE enforcement increases Chicago students in heavily Latino and immigrant neighborhoods are missing school as ICE enforcement ramps up in their communities, new data suggests.

💔 No child should have to choose between safety and school.

We stand with our immigrant families. Read more about what they are experiencing from @chalkbeat.org:

Chicago schools in immigrant neighborhoods are seeing sharp attendance declines.
Why? Increased ICE enforcement is making families afraid to send their kids to school.

This is more than a policy issue — it’s a crisis for education.

ICE Raids Are Traumatizing Our Students. Illinois Must Fight Back Weeks ago, ICE agents detained Noe Bartolon Rodriguez during his lunch break outside Omega Restaurant in Niles, handcuffing him and putting him in an unmarked car. Days earlier, agents used the parking lot of Maine East High School in nearby Park Ridge...

Read the full article from the Daily Kos:
ICE Raids Are Traumatizing Our Students. Illinois Must Fight Back

From ICE raids to underfunding, educators in Illinois are fending off attacks every single day. Hear from our new Secretary-Treasurer Pankaj Sharma on what these attacks mean for our students and how we must fight back by ensuring we take care of our education system at home.

Gov Pritzker & IL General Assembly: Tax the Rich, Fully Fund Our Schools Even before Donald Trump’s massive cuts to the Department of Education, SNAP, and other programs, Illinois was falling behind on the funding its schools and services need to provide world-class education to the state’s students.   Add in the President’s attacks and school districts across the state are being put in an avoidable crisis that leaves students in special education without support and educators without the dignity they deserve. Governor Pritzker and the IL General Assembly can Trump-proof our state and protect Illinois’ students by taxing the rich and providing the funds promised but not delivered to our schools from pre-k to higher ed. Write your lawmaker today and tell them how families and communities are unfairly bearing the brunt of Trump’s cuts and Illinois’ backwards tax code that has working people paying more than billionaires. Illinois can and should be #1 in education.

Have a safe and happy Halloween!

Take action for fair funding here:

Public schools and higher education are haunted by budget cuts and ghosted by policymakers. 🎃

This Halloween, let’s talk about the real scare: underfunded public education. Illinois can make this nightmare go away, but only by demanding the ultra-rich pay their fair share.

Yesterday, our message was clear: Illinois must be a leader in ensuring that students from Lake County to West Frankfort and Chicago to Cahokia have what they deserve, that higher education is affordable, and that we're investing in our future. https://f.mtr.cool/mrngyjpdhs

Teachers ratify new agreement with West Frankfort school district - The Labor Tribune West Frankfort, IL – Teachers in West Frankfort have overwhelming ratified a tentative agreement between the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 817 and Frankfort Community Unit School Distric...

Teachers ratify new agreement with West Frankfort school district
labortribune.com/teachers-rat...

West Frankfort Educators Vote to Ratify New Agreement Between AFT Local 817 and Frankfort CUSD 168 After reaching a tentative agreement yesterday with the Frankfort CUSD 168 school board, the 113 teachers who are members of American Federation of Teachers Local 817 in downstate West Frankfort voted overwhelmingly this afternoon to ratify that agreement. With 91% of members voting, 85% voted “YES.”

Read the full release:

Late last week, our members in American Federation of Teachers Local 817 in West Frankfort ratified a contract that will provide increased stability for the district grappling with how to balance its budget in the face of underfunding from Springfield. #whenwefightwewin

The way to do it is by finally fixing our outdated tax system that overwhelmingly favors the ultra-rich, and channeling the new revenue that comes from that towards adequately funding schools and universities.