Press conference starting now. You can watch on our Facebook page, and we will be live tweeting in this thread as well. http://facebook.com/iftaft 

IFT President @DanJMontgomery: We arrived at this position by talking to our members extensively...about how do we do this: how do we get back to teaching in the fall and do it safely?

Also consulted CDC, IDPH, ISBE guidance.

Returning to school online is safest and most practical. There may be school buildings around the state where students can return safely, but this is extremely rare when you look at the guidelines for PPE, masks, distancing.

Therefore, we think the best plan right now is remote learning.

Due to news of potential future outbreaks, parents, schools need to be prepared for a return to remote learning at some point, if not at the beginning of the year.

Also part of our thinking: Children aged 10-18 spread the virus just as adults do.

Crucial points: (1) students who need in-person learning the most should have priority in going back to school buildings. (2) childcare is an issue and needs to be provided for working parents. We have to help them. What can help them is good, effective, SAFE childcare.

This is a crisis of epic national proportions - it takes intervention from the government to help us all.

Every child needs the instrument they are going to use (laptops, tablets, etc) and access to a network.

Also need health care! It's unfathomable that we still have folks without health care as we go through this crisis.

And #SEL. The effects of this trauma needs to be addressed for our students.

#professionaldevelopment - we need strong, robust, teacher-led professional development.

Rachel Esposito - 8th grade lang. arts teacher, Cicero, Local 571: "I work in Cicero, which has a high number of cases. It's affected our community. Our students are feeling the effects of it. We've also had a lot of staff members who have tested positive."

Esposito: Can we go back to schools safely?...Let's be real. We can do all the preventative measures we want, but there will still be positive cases...We have a lot of essential workers in our community...This will be a big issue if we go back to school in person in the fall.