Illinois Senate Passes Bill to Mandate LGBT History in Public Schools
On Wednesday, May 2nd, the Illinois Senate passed an amended bill that will require public schools in the state to teach LGBT history.
As stated in the synopsis, the bill, “Provides that the teaching of history of the United States in public schools shall include a study of the role and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the history of this country and this State.”
Sponsor, Senator Heather Steans (D), told Fox News,“This measure is consistent with how Illinois public schools teach children about other marginalized communities and ethnicities, and it is one more step toward offering students a complete and accurate historical perspective.”
The bill passed on a 34-18 vote, and will now head to the House of Representatives. If enacted, Illinois will become the second state to institute an LGBT-inclusive curriculum, with California being the first.
Not only would the bill increase acceptance of LGBTQ persons in Illinois, it would be largely influential to the rest of the nation. If two states have enacted such a bill, we are all the more likely to see others follow suit.
