Carbondale Reporter

Republican lawmakers in Illinois have are objecting to new "offensive" regulations that require teachers to be trained in what they say is political activism.

"I am not for the political indoctrination of our teachers," Rep. Dave Severin (R-Benton) said in a release.

Teaching runs in Severin's family. His wife and daughter-in-law both work in education. He, too, is a proponent for local schools and served as President for the Benton School Board for almost two decades. He said he isn't the only one who is against these regulations, he's heard complaints about the "Culturally Responsive Teacher and Leader Standards" from both teachers and administrators.

"The Culturally Responsive Teacher and Leader Standards proposed b the Illinois State Board of Education require all teachers to admit they are somehow pre-programmed with inherent bias," Severin said. "The rules go further and ask teachers to take steps to mitigate these pre-supposed biases. This is offensive to the thousands of good-hearted public educators serving our students every day."

Rep. Patrick Windorst (R-Metropolis) worries these new rules could contribute to the teacher shortage in Illinois and politicize the profession. Freshman Rep. Paul Jacobs (R-Poma) believes the standards are "too much" especially on the heels of the political climate in 2020.

The Illinois State Board of Education is expected to present the Culturally Responsive Teacher and Leader Standards to teachers before sending it for a vote in the Illinois Joint Committee on Administrative Rules on February 16. The committee is 12 state senators and representatives with six Republicans and six Democrats. It must be rejected in an 8-4 vote for it not to take effect.

Republicans have encouraged Illinois residents to contact those lawmakers on the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules to ask them to turn down the measure.