LGBTQ History In Schools?

The way it’s looking in the Senate of the State of Illinois their public schools might have LGBT History included as part of the school educational curriculum.

The Illinois Senate Education Committee voted 8-2 on Tuesday, April 10, 2018,  to include LGBT History in the state’s learning curriculum as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times via the Associated Press.

If enacted the information intended to be taught in the public schools isn’t just on LGBT history itself but also information of those who are already taught in schools but whose sexual orientation has been excluded from the teachings as the Associated Press brought to light with their quote from Brian Johnson.

“People learn about Jane Addams, for example, but don’t know she’s a lesbian,” said Brian Johnson, CEO of the LGBT organization Equality Illinois. “We don’t think there is true justice for the LGBT community unless we can learn about our history.”

LGBTQ legislation for Illinois schools

The bill would require “public schools to teach a unit on the role and societal contributions of gays, lesbians, and other LGBT individuals,” as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times. “The measure would also have schools use more inclusive and ‘non-discriminatory’ textbooks going forward.”

“If enacted, Illinois would become just the second state to approve an LGBT inclusive curriculum. The proposal requires all elementary and high schools to teach a unit studying ‘the role and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the history of this country and this State’.”

“School boards would determine how much instructional time is spent on the subject. But the curriculum must reinforce that all people, no matter their sexual orientation, ‘have a right to be treated with civil, legal and human rights’.”

“Johnson said the measure is consistent with current law, which requires students learn the contributions of other under-represented groups, including African-Americans, Hispanics, and Asian-Americans.”

Of course, conservative groups are taking issue with the bill, “calling it unnecessary and ideologically driven.”