Getting back to school affects parents, students — and teachers. To understand what that means and to get some advice, the Sun-Times talked to Kathi Griffin, president of the Illinois Education Association. The statewide teachers union represents 135,000 education employees outside of Chicago. IEA’s leadership rotates, and Griffin, an elementary school teacher for 30 years, is the current president.
Q: First, the basics. What is the IEA?
A: We are the largest labor union in Illinois. We represent all educators, from birth to college, aspiring educators and retirees. And one of our large categories is classified personnel: the people that work in schools, like the janitors, the secretaries and the people who serve you lunch.
