Our Revolution is proud to endorse Jared Ploger for Illinois House District 84, a public school teacher, union leader, and community advocate who has dedicated his career to strengthening public education and standing up for working families.
Jared knows firsthand the challenges facing students, educators, and families because he lives them every day. As a high school teacher and president of Valley View Council 604 of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), he has helped lead organizing and advocacy efforts to ensure educators have the resources they need.
First elected to the Oswego Community Unit School District 308 school board in 2015, Ploger worked to strengthen public schools and ensure families had a voice in education decisions.
A champion for community engagement, Ploger has helped create spaces that bring families and schools together. He served on the District Parent Committee and the Bilingual Parents Advisory Council, and launched a program called the Father’s Forum at Long Beach Elementary, designed to help dads play a stronger role in their children’s education and school communities.
Beyond the classroom and school board, Ploger is also a basketball coach who has received the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year award three times. Through coaching, he has mentored young people on teamwork, leadership, and perseverance — values that guide his approach to public service.
Ploger earned his bachelor’s degree from Northern Illinois University and his master’s degree from Olivet Nazarene University. He and his wife are raising two sons who attend school in the district, giving him a personal stake in the future of Illinois public education and the well-being of local families.
At a time when public education and working families face growing challenges, Illinois needs leaders who will stand unapologetically with teachers, students, and communities — not corporate interests.
Together, we can send a champion for public education and community leadership to Springfield.