The newly elected head of the state's largest union lives in Bloomington.
Illinois Education Association [IEA] members chose Karl Goeke. Goeke had been serving as interim president following the death of IEA president Al Llorens in September.
Goeke was a classroom teacher for more than two decades until three years ago, when he was elected vice president of the union. Goeke has degrees from Western Illinois University and Illinois State University, according to a union news release.
"Being elected president by a delegation of educators is the honor of a lifetime. Public schools represent the deep-felt trust of entire communities across the state," said Goeke.
The 135,000-member union represents Pre K-12 teachers in Illinois outside the city of Chicago, education support staff, higher education faculty, retired education employees and students preparing to become teachers.
Other officers elected are vice president Gina Harris, who taught in several Chicago suburbs, and secretary-treasurer Gladys Márquez, who taught high school English language learners in Blue Island.
The new officers will serve until July 2029.
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