UpdatedThu, Dec 10, 2020 at 11:18 am CT Replies(28) School districts' failure to implement and enforce Illinois Department of Public Health guidance and requirements for schools puts the health of the teachers, students and communities at risk, the IEA said in a news release. (Shutterstock) PLAINFIELD, IL — Education unions in the state are asking the government to take steps to make schools safer for staff and students when they finally return for in-person lessons. One of the five measures the Illinois Education Association and Illinois Federation of Teachers want the government to work on is ensuring that education workers are prioritized when the coronavirus vaccine becomes available. Association of Plainfield Teachers President Dawn Bullock said if state leaders want the economy to flourish and return to a sense of normalcy, then the sooner "we can protect our workforce the better."