The Illinois State Board of Education has proposed a rule requiring teachers to teach about diversity and make all students feel welcome. The idea is that if they feel like they belong in the classroom they’ll do better academically. The proposal’s critics say it will end up suppressing diverse points of view and inject liberal politics into K-through-12 classrooms.
Dixon Republican St. Rep. Tom Demmer says the ISBE should worry instead about reading, writing, and mathematics. He says a lot of what’s written into the rule is done in classrooms across Illinois already.
The proposal goes to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules on February 16th. It could block the proposal with eight of 12 members’ votes.