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			 “We applaud Governor Pritzker‘s bold and 
			compassionate leadership during these difficult times. Closing 
			school buildings for the rest of the year is the right thing to do. 
			As we have seen, no one is immune to COVID-19 and this will ensure 
			the safety of our teachers, staff, students, and community. 
 "Under these difficult circumstances and with limited resources, 
			educators have been doing what they love – teaching and engaging our 
			children remotely while adjusting to the new normal. As this 
			pandemic has made abundantly clear, there are vast economic, 
			educational and healthcare disparities existing in our poorest 
			communities, especially in our Black and Brown communities. Many of 
			our students lack laptops and internet access, which prevents them 
			from learning.
 
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            This is compounded with economic insecurity. As 
			educators and unionists, we remain committed to working with our 
			members, elected officials, and policy advocates to address these 
			inequalities and level the playing field for our working and 
			lower-income students and families.
 "Local unions and members of the Illinois Federation of Teachers 
			will support students and their families in every way possible 
			during this time.”
 
            [ Illinois Federation of Teachers] |