Senate Republicans propose legislation to empower parents of schoolchildren

Posted on February 25, 2022
State Sen. Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington). (Photo courtesy senatorbarickman.com)

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – Education bureaucracy has left parents behind, say Illinois Senate Republicans who want kids’ moms and dads to have more of a voice in what happens in the classroom.

But they would not provide an example of a subject they didn’t want taught to their kids and instead presented their ideas as no more revolutionary than making it easier to help Junior with his homework.

It’s really, said State Sen. Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington), about empowerment.

“There are countless numbers of Illinoisans around this state who feel the people they have elected to represent them at various levels of government,” said Barickman, “are not being accountable to their views. Now we just went through a brawl related to redistricting.”

One idea is to add five elected members to the Illinois State Board of Education. Right now the board members and the state superintendent are chosen by the governor.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…