Virtually all of the 1,268 delegates attending the 2010 IEA Representative Assembly are wearing pink today.
“Pink (slip) Friday” is intended as a show of solidarity by IEA members with the thousands of education employees who are being “pink-slipped” by their school districts, receiving layoff notices due to the state budget crisis.
As many as 17,000 education employees are expected to be laid off unless the state legislature increases revenue for school districts.
Those layoffs will undoubtedly be a big issue when the two major party candidates for governor, Republican State Senator Bill Brady (R-Bloomington) and Democrat Gov. Pat Quinn, make their first joint appearance since each was nominated.
The two have agreed to answer questions from IEA President Ken Swanson. The questions will be based on input from members of the IEA Board of Directors.
IEA members will urge the candidates to increase state revenues by supporting two revenue proposals; a proposed one percentage point increase in the state income tax for education and HB 174, comprehensive tax reform that will provided needed funding to education and state human services agencies.