ILLINOIS – Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) President Dan Montgomery issued the following statement responding to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade:
"As a union composed of more than 70 percent female members, we strongly condemn this radical decision and are deeply concerned about its implications for women and pregnant people.
“In this country, all women and pregnant people must be free to make their own decisions about their bodies. It is a fundamental right. Today’s decision will harm all, but there is no doubt that BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), Latinx, and the economically disadvantaged – already marginalized groups – will suffer most. We cannot allow this radical conservative legal effort to erode all Americans’ rights and further marginalize society’s most vulnerable. And we will not go back to a time when abortions led to deaths for too many women.
“For many years, our elected IFT convention delegates have passed strong resolutions supporting reproductive and abortion rights. The IFT will continue to work in Illinois to ensure that women and pregnant people have the power to make their own healthcare decisions. We are thankful for Governor Pritzker’s staunch advocacy on this issue; we know he believes, as we do, that reproductive rights are human rights and should be an individual's choice."