Dear IFT Member, As we hold our IFT triennial convention this weekend, it is an exciting time when delegates representing members around the state will elect new officers to lead our union. It is also a time to be clear-eyed. Groups with radically anti-union agendas have invested tens of millions of dollars to encourage the people of Illinois to resent teachers and our unions. For the most part, we’ve ignored them: Their biased, extremist messages don’t deserve attention. In reality, polls show

Dear IFT Member,In my final days as your president, I wanted to share some reflections from my 15 years of proud and grateful service. Every day, we see headlines about cuts to public education, food assistance, healthcare, and now a government shutdown that threatens our students, schools, and communities. We ask ourselves, “How do we make it through this unprecedented and scary time?” We know that there is no better investment than to invest in our young people. When schools have resources, st

In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, several teachers across the country criticized the political firebrand on social media. Some people now want them fired for it.

ILLINOIS - Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) President Dan Montgomery issued the following statement today about the passing of Illinois Education Association (IEA) President Albert “Al” Llorens. “I am profoundly sad at the loss of my friend, union brother, and longtime educator, Al Llorens. His passing leaves Illinois emptier and less whole. The labor movement has lost a fierce advocate, and those of us who knew him have lost a steady, compassionate pillar who made our lives and our schools

“We urge Superintendent Donkin and the board to follow labor law and finally work with us in good faith to reach a fair agreement.”West Frankfort, IL – The teachers in Frankfort CUSD 168 who are members of the American Federation of Teachers, Local 817, filed Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charges on Wednesday with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board (IELRB). Negotiations have been taking place since May - including two sessions with a federal mediator - yet an agreement has not been rea

You’ve heard, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Sustainable Community Schools are the embodiment of that saying – they are community hubs designed to provide wraparound academic, health and social support for the entire community beyond the traditional 9am – 3pm school day.

Despite the best efforts of many educators at charter schools, the charter model continues to deliver chaos.

Find events, petitions, volunteer opportunities, fundraisers and more with Citizen Action/Illinois.

Teachers are under siege not for anything they do wrong, but for what they do right.

This morning in Broadview, ICE and Border Patrol agents tear gassed, shot pepper spray bullets at, and detained protesters outside an immigrant detention center. This is an alarming abuse of power. The Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery issued the following statement: