Special education, hair discrimination bills pass Senate Education Committee
By RAYMON TRONCOSO
Capitol News Illinois
rtroncoso@capitolnewsillinois.com
SPRINGFIELD – The Senate Education Committee advanced several bills Tuesday, including measures addressing special education, hairstyle discrimination and teaching Asian American history in public schools.
Those were among more than a dozen bills to pass the committee, the majority of which passed unanimously without debate or discussion.
Springfield Democrat Sen. Doris Turner’s House Bill 41 would add a new responsibility for the state when placing children in special education facilities. Under the proposal, before a child could be placed in an out-of-state residential facility, the entity behind that decision – whether it is a school district, Illinois agency or court – must refer the child’s guardians to a comparable in-state facility to consider.
The provision would also require the entity behind an out-of-state placement of a special education student to review that placement annually, and each year refer an in-state facility to the child’s guardians.
House Bill 40, sponsored by Sen. Bill Cunningham, D-Chicago, would change how students using special education services age out of the program. Under current Illinois law, special needs students lose their eligibility and are removed from school the day before they turn 22.
“It denies special ed students of an experience that we want all of our students to have, and that is to graduate with their peers,” Cunningham said in his testimony before the committee. “We could also relate to the fact that for many of these students, routine is a such an important part of their lives, and to disturb that with sudden departure from the school program is very emotionally upsetting to the student, and to the family.”
Cunningham’s bill allows students in special education to be eligible for services throughout the entire school year in which they turn 22, allowing them to graduate at the same time as their peer group.
Both bills were advanced to the Senate floor unanimously, having already passed in the Illinois House.
Two bills that were subject to lengthy testimony and debate during the Senate Education Committee’s previous hearing on May 4 also advanced to the Senate floor Tuesday.
An amendment to Senate Bill 817, sponsored by Chicago Democratic Sen. Mike Simmons, would prohibit all Illinois schools from making dress code requirements that prohibit hairstyles historically associated with race, ethnicity or hair texture. The legislation specifically cites braids, locks and twists as hairstyles protected by the statute.
“This is a really straightforward proposition,” Simmons said during his May 4 testimony before the committee. “As somebody who has been targeted and discriminated myself by schools, and has been resilient and I don’t want the next generation to have to go through this.”
The committee ultimately voted to table Simmons’ bill during its previous hearing due to concerns over the enforcement mechanisms. Many Democrats expressed opposition to a provision that would have withheld the allocation of dollars from the state’s evidence-based funding model for education from school districts that were non-compliant with the bill.
While Simmons testified during that hearing that he wanted the legislation to have “teeth” behind its enforcement, the version he introduced Tuesday removed that provision from the bill.
It passed the committee in a 9-4 vote along partisan lines to advance to the Senate floor. It needs passage from both chambers before it can head to the governor for consideration.
An amendment to House Bill 376, also known as the “TEAACH Act,” sponsored by Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, would include Asian American history in the curriculum of all public elementary and high schools.
A previous amendment to the bill was passed by the committee in a 13-1 vote on May 4.
“This amendment simply addresses a concern from within the Asian American community, to ensure that we keep the focus on the unit of Asian American history that will be required as part of this legislation,” Villivalam said in committee Tuesday.
The amendment advanced to the Senate floor with unanimous committee support.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government and distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
Local News
Obituaries March 10, 2022
Spread the loveTHOMAS P. ANDRICOPOULOS Thomas P. Andricopoulos, 74, passed away on February 26. He was the beloved husband of Gitana; Loving father of Paul and Sofia; Beloved son of the late Paul and Catherine; Dearest brother of Cathe (Joe); Fond uncle of Christe and Anthony and numerous other nieces and nephews; Loved cousin and…
RoseMarie Lipinski Foundation offers $10,000 scholarship
Spread the loveFrom staff reports The RoseMarie Lipinski Foundation is offering a $10,000 scholarship to a woman who is seeking to return to or start college, Foundation President William O. Lipinski announced this week. Lipinski said the scholarship, named after his late wife, is intended to help a mother with two children who are in…
New English literacy tutors ready to serve
Spread the love Three new volunteer English Literacy tutors (Will Stith, Ann Wentz and Daniil Diadkov, posing with a cardboard cutout of Sister Joan Mary, O.P.) were recently added to the roster at the Aquinas Literacy Center, 1751 W. 35th St. They are expected to help address the need for English as a Second Language…
College Roundup: Saint Xavier women’s hoops heading to national tourney
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer St. Xavier’s women’s basketball team may have ended the conference tournament on a rough note, but it is still going to the NAIA National Tournament with a top-five seed in regionals. The Cougars (25-6) earned the fifth seed in the Omaha Sports Commission Bracket and will play No.…
Chicago Christian leaving Metro Suburban for new conference
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Chicago Christian will be changing conferences in two years. The Knights are leaving the Metro Suburban for a the Chicagoland Christian Conference, a new league to consist of private schools. They will be joined by Aurora Christian, Bishop McNamara, Hope Academy, Christ the King, Marian Central Catholic, St.…
St. Rita’s season comes to end against Kenwood
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer If this St. Rita team returns intact next season, look out. The Mustangs were six minutes away from winning their first sectional championship, holding a six-point lead against top-seeded Kenwood at the Class 4A Thornwood Sectional on March 4. The Broncos, however, roared back and went on a…
New director joins Worth Public Library
Spread the loveBy Kelly White With a love of books and knowledge, Rachel Snyder is happy to take on her new role as director of the Worth Public Library. “It sounds so stereotypical, but I have always loved books and felt most at home when I was around them,” Snyder, of Lemont, said. “So, a…
Catholic kids ditch school masks
Spread the lovePublic schools stick with pandemic regs By Tim Hadac Reports of local Catholic school children rejoicing over the lifting of mask mandates were widespread this week, while their parents reacted with a mix of opinions. “I’ve seen kids jubilant over this—some so much so that they appeared to be crying tears of joy,”…
Neighbors
Oak Lawn Fourth of July festivities
Spread the loveCelebrate Independence Day at the Village of Oak Lawn’s annual Fourth of July Parade at 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 29! This cherished community event brings together families, friends, and neighbors to honor the spirit of freedom and patriotism. Parade will step off at 95th Street and Lacrosse and head west on 95th…
District 230 names Director of Safety and Security
Spread the loveFrom staff reports The Consolidated High School District 230 Board of Education approved Dr. Mary Pat Carr as the district’s first Director of Security. She will move from her current position as Assistant Principal of Activities at Stagg High School to the Administrative Center on July 1. Her duties as Director of Safety…
Worth Public Library kicks off summer reading program
Spread the loveBy Kelly White Patrons at the Worth Public Library welcomed in the summer season earlier this month. The library, 6917 W. 111th St., hosted its annual celebration on June 1 to bring patrons of all ages out to sign up for its summer reading program. “We love any excuse to celebrate reading with…
Fire knocks out Orland’s UFC Gym
Spread the loveFrom staff reports A fire last Thursday afternoon practically destroyed an Orland Park gym and knocked out neighboring businesses, as well. Orland Park firefighters received a call at 2:31 p.m. June 20 for a reported fire in the UFC Gym located at 66 Orland Square Drive Unit C. Multiple 911 calls were received for a…
Chicago Ridge Fire Chief Bonnar retires
Spread the loveStarted his 50-year career as Orland Park cadet By Dermot Connolly Chicago Ridge Fire Chief William Bonnar officially announced his retirement from a nearly 50-year career at the June 18 Village Board meeting. Mayor Jack Lind made the announcement “with great regret,” joking that “he doesn’t have the age to retire but he…
Stagg tabs Allee Hernandez to guide girls hoops
Spread the loveBy Randy Whalen Correspondent Allee Hernandez has accrued many years of basketball experience as a player and as an assistant coach. She will soon embark on a new experience as a head coach at Stagg, where she will be the Chargers first new head coach in 16 seasons. She succeeds Bill Turner, who…
Shepard’s yearbook wins national recognition
Spread the loveBy Kelly White Shepard High School students have worked tirelessly to create a yearbook for this academic year that was nationally recognized. The high school, 13049 S. Ridgeland Ave. in Palos Heights, was chosen as a Yearbook Excellence Contest recipient from Walsworth Publishing Company, a family-owned printing company based out of Marceline, Missouri.…
Hickory Hills man charged in grandfather’s murder
Spread the loveBy Nuha Abdessalam A 32-year-old Hickory Hills man has been charged with first-degree murder in the June 21 death of his 90-year-old grandfather. Dean J. Faulk was charged on June 22 with the June 21 murder of Dean L. Faulk. Police said they responded to a call at 9:45 a.m. June 21 at…
Orland Park Public Library kicks off summer
Spread the loveBy Kelly White Summer is nearly here and the Orland Park Public Library is ready for it. On June 8, the library, 14921 S. Ravinia Ave., hosted its second annual Summer Reading Challenge Kick-Off event themed, Read, Renew, Repeat. “There are multiple interpretations to this theme,” Jackie Boyd, Communications Manager at the Orland…
llinois VFW names Porfirio Senator of the Year
Spread the loveIllinois Veterans of Foreign Wars recently selected state Senator Mike Porfirio as the Senator of the Year. “I’m deeply honored to receive this prestigious award from the Illinois VFW,” said Porfirio (D-Lyons Township). “I am committed to ensuring our veterans receive the protections, care and dignity they deserve. This recognition is a testament…