Members of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus are advancing a K-12 education bill that would expand resources for marginalized students and reform education policies that disproportionately harm students of color. The bill addresses the education and workforce development pillar of the ILBC’s four-pillar agenda, which also includes criminal justice reform; health care and human services; and economic access, equity and opportunity.
Lawmakers on the Senate Executive Committee heard testimony from one of the bill’s sponsors, Sen. Kimberly Lightford, and representatives from education groups, including the Illinois Federation of Teachers and Illinois Education Association.
“The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus has created a Black agenda that addresses systemic racism and inequities, so that our children and their children can break this vicious cycle of oppression that has held so many Blacks from reaching their full potential,” Lightford, D-Maywood, said. “This pillar explores our state’s education system through the lens of systemic racism, to identify the best ways to bring an end to inequities and curriculums or practices that often do more to cause racial division than support the needs of our most vulnerable children and young adults in all marginalized, poverty-stricken communities.”
Scroll down for more from DA
