Moving Illinois forward: Real world solutions for a broken economy.

Join us October 8 for the IEA Economic Summit live streaming event.  Guest speakers will discuss the economic climate and challenges on a national to local level.  Discussion also includes the return on your education investment and quality in job growth.

The event is for any interested party including IEA members, staff and the general public.  We have groups from many different public entities participating (many are human services type groups).

There is no cost to view the event.  The entire day will be streamed live on the internet except for the breaks and lunch.  Visit the IEA website to find out more and get the link to the event: http://www.ieanea.org/featured/economic-summit/

It’s important that as crucial elections come up this Fall (especially for Governor and statewide races) and this Spring (school board elections) our members are registered to vote.

On September 9 at 4:30 the County Clerk’s office will be training our members to be voter registrars.  Those who complete the training will be able to get others (your colleagues, friends and neighbors) registered to vote.

If you’re interested and willing,  please RSVP to the IEA Office (309-663-6400 or karen.hancock@ieanea.org) by Monday, August 30 so we can let the County Clerk know how many to plan for and we can arrange for food as well.

Continue to check here and at http://ieanea.org for updates, information and calls to action.  Find out more information about the IEA recommendation, including a comparison of the two candidates and their views on public education.

We’ve posted links to several stories, photos and videos from the April 21 SOS (Save our State/Save our Schools) Rally on the UFEA Facebook Page. Several of the stories feature images and quotes of UFEA and BEA members. 

If you’re on Facebook and haven’t yet “liked” the UFEA Page, you should!  You can also follow UFEA on Twitter (@ufea).  Twitter coverage from the SOS Rally can be found by searching the #SOSrally hashtag.  And, of course, there is coverage and calls to action at http://illinoiseducationassociation.org as well.

We will be taking over 30 Unit 5 employees and friends to the Lobby Day in Springfield tomorrow.  We’ll be joining about 20 others from Region 14 and thousands of others from across the State.

We think we will have a big crowd, and we hope to be able to talk with our local legislators when we get there.

But those of us in Springfield tomorrow can’t do it alone.  We need your help!   The rest of our members can help with the lobbying effort right here at home.  Please encourage members in your building to take a few minutes before or after school, during lunch, or during plan time to contact our legislators by phone, fax or email (contact information is below).  An easy way to email is to go to this link:
http://capwiz.com/nea/il/state/main/?state=IL

SUGGESTED TALKING POINTS:

• We need a balanced approach to this crisis:  That means being open to budget reductions following a cost/benefit analysis AND increased revenue.
• We support the one percent income tax increase for education but that is NOT an adequate solution
• We need comprehensive tax reform such as that found in HB 174. HB 174 would eliminate the need for layoffs in education.  It would allow the state to reduce the budget deficit while preserving services for children, the mentally ill and the elderly. Pass HB 174!

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Senator Bill Brady, R-44th District

• Springfield Office:
  105A Capitol Building, Springfield 62706
  Office (217) 782-6216  Fax (217)782-0116  
• Local Office:
  2203 Eastland Drive, Suite 3, Bloomington 61704 
  Office (309) 664-4440  Fax (309) 664-8597

Senator Dan Rutherford, R-53rd District

• Springfield Office:
  105B State Capitol, Springfield, IL 62706
  Office (217) 782-6597 
• Local Office:
  320 N. Plum St., Pontiac, IL 61764
  Office (815) 842-3632 Fax (815) 842-2875

Representative Dan Brady, R-88th District

• Springfield Office:
  200-8N Stratton Office Building, Springfield, IL 62706
  Office (217) 782-1118 Fax (217)558-6271
• Local Office:
  202 N. Prospect Rd, Ste.203, Bloomington 61704
  Office (309) 662-1100 Fax (309) 662-1150

Representative Keith Sommer, R-106th District

• Springfield Office:
  216-N Stratton Office Building, Springfield, IL 62706
  Office (217) 782-0221 Fax  (217)782-1275 Local
• Local Office:
  121 W. Jefferson St,  Morton, IL 61550
  Office (309) 263-9242 Fax (309) 263-8187
  email: sommer@mtco.com

After watching the video, go to www.ieanea.org to read more.

Next Friday (March 19) some of us will be in Chicago as delegates to the annual IEA Representative Assembly.  The candidates for Governor (Pat Quinn and Bill Brady) will be at our meeting that day to answer our questions about what they intend to do to fund education in Illinois.

The delegates to the Assembly are planning to wear pink that day to demonstrate our solidarity with the thousands of teachers across the state who are being RIFed (and getting “pink slips”) because of the budget crisis in Illinois.

We would like to urge ALL our members to join us in a show of solidarity and wear pink on Friday, March 19.

It would be great if we could get some pictures of our members wearing pink to post on our UFEA website and send to our legislators to ask them to do the right thing and fund education.

Please help to get the word out in your building to WEAR PINK ON FRIDAY!

If you plan on participating, please let IEA know by following this link and voting in the poll!