* Dude appears to be more upset about the solid whupping he got last year than I realized…
Kane County Republican Party…
A financial disclosure filing from the Democratic Party of Illinois was just made public, and it confirms our worst predictions about Governor Pritzker’s involvement in our local school and library elections this April:
This $500,000.00 donation follows Prtizker’s commitment to infuse his radical ideology into our own schools and motivate Democratic “base” voters to vote in traditionally low-turnout municipal elections.
With over a dozen key school board races on the ballot across Kane County this year, we are certain that these funds will be used to prop up hyper-partisan school board candidates across Kane County who do not prioritize safety, academic excellence, and college preparedness.
* From the Face the Nation interview…
Q: I want to ask you about the issue set that Democrats are running on. Your office told us you’re very focused on school board races in Illinois to make sure extreme right wing candidates aren’t dominating them. I’m wondering how strong the Republican ground operation is on things like school boards is parents rights, really something you think Democrats need to be concerned about on the national scale?
Pritzker: Well, what Republicans are trying to do is, of course, ban books in libraries, they’re trying to keep our schools from teaching Black history. They make up things about CRT in schools that just don’t exist. And so they’ve got a lot of extreme right-wing candidates, frankly, on the crazy end of things that are running and we just want to make sure that people know who they are and know not to vote for them.
Q: I want to follow up on something you said right before we took that break. You said you want to make sure people know who they are and not to vote for them. And we’re talking about Republicans, you said trying to do things like ban teaching Black history, ban books and ban CRT. You talking about people in Illinois? What are you talking about? Where’s that happening?
Pritzker: Well, you asked me about school boards. [Crosstalk] We’ve got people running at the local level. [Crosstalk] But of course, the Republicans are carrying this as a national message. And honestly, it’s something that’s offensive to most Americans. This idea of banning Black history. It’s important for people to understand the history of slavery in the United States, our entire US History, warts at all.
- Demoralized - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 10:22 am:
Doesn’t surprise me that the hate group Awake would use the term grooming.
== confirms our worst predictions==
Is he just supposed to look on as school boards are taken over by a bunch of wackos. And, please, with your proclamations of non-partisanship. These people couldn’t be more partisan if they tried.
- Demoralized - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 10:22 am:
An Darren Bailey is a has been. He’s just as much of a wacko
- Grandson of Man - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 10:25 am:
The people who are pushing a radical anti-LGBTQ+ agenda are mad they’re going to be challenged, is all. Good on JB and others to stand up to them.
- Streator Curmudgeon - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 10:26 am:
CRT has to be the biggest bogeyman since the Red Scare of the 1950s.
- NIU Grad - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 10:27 am:
Can’t wait to hear Paul Vallas chime in on the topic!
- Jerry - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 10:28 am:
Not many folks use CRTs anymore on their computer machines that access the Googyl.
- Rudy’s teeth - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 10:31 am:
Darren Bailey and the words literacy and academics should never appear in the same sentence. These comments are kinda ironic as Bailey calls the state E-La-noy.
Might be time for Darren to enroll in ESL classes.
- New Day - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 10:35 am:
Pure evil? Insisting that all of American History be taught including slavery. Yup. That’s their version of evil.
- Grandson of Man - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 10:35 am:
“Why is he pushing a radical, culture war agenda”
Projection much?
“grooming”
Why are these right wing groups obsessed with children and sexuality? Is an accusation a confession? /s
- Rich Miller - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 10:37 am:
===are mad they’re going to be challenged, is all===
We have a winner.
They thought they would have the playing field to themselves. Bragged about it, even. Oops.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 10:39 am:
Keeping in mind the premise of “cultural war”…
Not unlike the confederate heroes these folks admire, but furget the Republicans fought against, this cultural war is about a dying legacy of rural America left behind by progress, not just progressives, and the idea that being aggrieved by the real rejection of the cultural stifling (banning books, forced religious law, overt 2A intimidation) that *they* reject, the cultists hijacked a party to make their empowering and emboldening a thing, and they think they are “saving” (even in a religious thought) ‘Merica.
Now, Bailey getting pummeled electorally, actually hiding his cultish religious thoughts and 2A requirements in the collars too, this is his aggrieved window, playing to the 10-13%… who have no intention to see America as it is, but wants ‘Merica to go back to its rejected past.
- Ron Burgundy - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 10:39 am:
-Why is he pushing a radical, culture war agenda on kids and local communities?-
He’s not pushing any such thing. He’s pushing back against yours. Self-aware much?
As for has been or actually never was Bailey, if JB is “evil”, you kinda got whooped by “evil,” huh?
- phocion - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 10:39 am:
What public school board or elected official is banning the teaching of slavery?
- Loop Lady - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 10:41 am:
Smart GOV…these whack jobs aren’t for free speech…or textbooks based on history/facts.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 10:43 am:
=== ===are mad they’re going to be challenged, is all===
We have a winner.
They thought they would have the playing field to themselves. Bragged about it, even. Oops.===
I’d humbly add that the aggrieved concern is that they recognize their “beliefs” are the ones being rejected, and sneaking and thinking they’d be unchallenged was the hope, not the want of any discussion to these thoughts.
Keep up the good fight against these Bailey types. No stopping. Keep at them.
- Amalia - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 10:44 am:
where’s that happening? um, all over. in the NW burbs there is bullying going on about vaccine issues in school board races. the AWAKE folks have lost any rational thought process. How’s that association going for you Paul Vallas?
- Lurker - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 10:44 am:
Reading the first two comments under the video, is all you need to know. These extremists like the Proud Boys getting legitimacy is getting scarily out of hand.
- vern - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 10:45 am:
“we just want to make sure that people know who they are and know not to vote for them.”
Pretty odd for JB to do a lap on national media talking about this while staying silent on the Chicago mayor’s race. Paul Vallas is a fellow traveler with these exact people. It’s kind of a glaring omission from Pritzker’s plan to keep the far right out of power in the state.
- Crispy - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 10:47 am:
Boy, “radical ideology” doesn’t sound like an old-school coded phrase at all, does it? Have they mentioned George Soros or the Illuminati yet?/s
Give them time; the classics are the classics for a reason. …
- JB13 - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 10:57 am:
We must keep all billionaires out of politics.
No, not that one.
- Loop Lady - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 10:57 am:
Vern: After dealing with Lightfoot, wouldn’t you keep your
powder dry on Da Mares race if you were JB?
Think about it.
- Vader - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 11:00 am:
JB is just fighting back on the IPI and their affiliates. After their historic losses in the state wide elections, they are now trying to recruit like minded lunatics to run for school boards simply so they can try to claim some victories and keep the Koch money coming in.
- Socially DIstant Watcher - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 11:00 am:
Here’s the Washington Post on what’s happening in school districts in other states. You want college preparedness? Don’t do what these states are doing.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/03/06/slavery-was-wrong-5-other-things-educators-wont-teach-anymore/
- SWSider - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 11:01 am:
==Vern: After dealing with Lightfoot, wouldn’t you keep your
powder dry on Da Mares race if you were JB?==
No, because I’m more concerned about stopping this non-sense than politics.
- vern - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 11:03 am:
=== wouldn’t you keep your
powder dry on Da Mares race if you were JB? ===
No, I’d want a Mayor who will back me up on key public safety issues instead of one encouraging far-right wackos like Shannon Adcock to run against me. I don’t think Vallas is trustworthy enough to reward Pritzker’s neutrality with future support
- Dysfunction Junction - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 11:03 am:
==Might be time for Darren to enroll in ESL classes. ==
“I’m particularly glad that these lovely children were here today to hear that speech. Not only was it authentic frontier gibberish, it expressed a courage little seen in this day and age.”
- Rich Miller - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 11:04 am:
===while staying silent on the Chicago mayor’s race.===
C’mon. That race is being covered wall to wall in the city.
The school board races are not being covered at all, or only slightly, by gutted local news media outlets.
- Springfieldish - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 11:11 am:
The News-Sun has had a couple of good articles about sleepy Millburn District 24 in northern Lake County where one board member actually asked the board’s attorney to investigate whether they could issue a policy of no punishment for any male students who deface or vandalize the feminine hygiene dispenser which ISBE is requiring in all bathrooms. Nothing like grooming little violent insurrectionists. Can vegans tear up the lunch line with no consequences if chicken nuggets are served? Crazy.
- JS Mill - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 11:15 am:
=Pretty odd for JB to do a lap on national media talking about this while staying silent on the Chicago mayor’s race. =
No matter what happens, a D is going to win in Chicago. Not so in school board races.
Out where I live, very few democrats ever run. My School Board is what I consider traditional conservatives. They keep religion out of the schools and don’t bite on the bs social issues concocted by the radical woke right. I have people running that want to change all of that and not in a good way.
- Springfieldish - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 11:20 am:
C’mon.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-county-news-sun/ct-lns-millburn-school-board-follow-up-st-0228-20230228-24cogoqslje45aj3q3odavpjoa-story.html
- vern - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 11:21 am:
=== The school board races are not being covered at all, or only slightly, by gutted local news media outlets ===
Yea I think Pritzker is doing the right thing on school board races. But he can walk and chew gum at the same time, that’s all I’m suggesting he do.
- SammyG - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 11:22 am:
Groups like Illinois Families for Public Schools and Equality Illinois have been trying to rally support for school board races. Big Republican money has been coming in to try to sway the suburbs and it’s good to see at least one Democrat fighting back.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 11:26 am:
Oh - - JB13 -, lol
Give it a minute, the Right will say dark money and unlimited funding is “free speech”
Once SCOTUS opened that door… I know, it stinks that “both sides” will have resources, isn’t that what the Right says the dark money does?
So I’m clear, for the Nth time…
Unlimited monies, “all about it, no caps”
After that first nickel, dime… penny…
Full disclosure, no dark monies.
- WestBurbs - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 11:27 am:
I guess its no surprise but the link to the blog with the Kane County Republican Party announcement of the JB donation is full of comments riddled with incredibly vile anti-semitism (and anti trans, etc.).
- Rich Miller - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 11:30 am:
WestBurbs, I made the mistake of scrolling down. Horrid stuff.
- Lake Villa Township Dem PC - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 11:38 am:
Keep your eyes on the Antioch school board races ya’ll (the schools I graduated from) there is a woman running in district 34 who was at the US capital on January 6th, 2021 when havoc was wrought, Pam Adams. As far as I know she was on the steps of the capital.
- Flying Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 11:39 am:
Been saying it for years-
There’s no kind of zealot like an evangelical zealot.
- Annonin' - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 11:41 am:
We believe CommandoIves is planning some snake oil sales rallies with Virginia local school whacks. Now she can claim JB is trying to poison the minds of IL youth with every brand of poison she can brew up.
- Norseman - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 11:46 am:
The MAGA GOP create false bogeymen to impose censorship and foster indoctrination in schools they claim to be fighting.
Bravo to JB and IL Dems for fighting back against this bigotry and lies.
- Donnie Elgin - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 12:00 pm:
JB is painting with a broad brush here. He starts out with “of course Republicans” are trying to ban books, preventing teaching black history, then he adds the bit about “ extreme right-wing” and “crazy” candidates. I’m confused because the identifiable GOP candidate for School Board 300, Connie Cain is not running on that platform…
“Connie Cain cares about students receiving a comprehensive education and ensuring parents have a voice in their student’s education. She will focus on removing obstacles and providing resources to help students get a good education while insisting on accountability and responsible spending of taxpayer dollars”
- James - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 12:04 pm:
There is a reason Christian schools are growing. Millions of Illinoisans don’t want anything to do with the political agendas that Illinois is pushing on kids.
- Consider This - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 12:17 pm:
Live in Decatur so probably shouldn’t even consider commenting on anything related to school board issues. District 61 creates problems of their own without the looney tune Bailey stirring up the pot. Mayors daughter running for a seat in the upcoming race. Never mind the mayor made sure her kids only attended schools outside of the troubled Decatur School District. Hey…easy win on the school board equals stepping stone to another elected office. But, no one cares.
- Demoralized - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 12:18 pm:
==What public school board or elected official is banning the teaching of slavery?==
When that’s the only response you have to this instead of talking about the insidious nature of groups like Awake then that says a lot about you.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 12:21 pm:
- Donnie Elgin -
Did Connie Cain rub for the Illinois House in 2022?
===Millions===
Millions are flocking?
Cite please.
- Donnie Elgin - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 12:22 pm:
“ blog with the Kane County Republican Party announcement of the JB donation is full of comments riddled with incredibly vile anti-semitism (and anti trans, etc.).”
That Blog the “Mchenry County Blog” is run by Cal Skinner a private Individual and past elected official who ran as both Republican and Libertarian. He and his commenters speak for themselves, not the Kane County Republican Party.
“This is a journal of news and opinion designed to bring to light matters of public interest and to encourage public participation in the governmental process”
- Loop Lady - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 12:24 pm:
James 12:04
I guess you’re not bothered by Right Wing Evangelicals political agenda in the schools…
At least the political agenda in schools the Dems are pushing are rife with facts, science, and actual history beyond the white settlers in the United States.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 12:25 pm:
- Donnie Elgin -
From the DH, Cain is the respondent
=== Q: What is the role of the school board in setting and monitoring curriculum?
A: As the representatives of the parents and taxpayers, school board members need to be involved in the curriculum of the schools in an oversight manner. Parents have become more involved in schools because of concerns about the curriculum. As a school board member, I will respect the concerns of parents.===
Huh… now I wonder if there’s anything to Awake Illinois
Should I look?
- Loop Lady - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 12:26 pm:
James 12:04
The Dems aren’t the only one pushing a political agenda in the schools.
Please see the forest beyond the trees.
- unafraid - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 12:31 pm:
More charges and counter charges from each group without enough specifics as to what each group believes the other is doing wrong.
Invariably that is what these types of ‘debates’ degenerate into. Each side reflexively defends its own and and less and less information/examples of the issues appear. Then just non stop name calling by both sides.
- phocion - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 12:36 pm:
====What public school board or elected official is banning the teaching of slavery?==
When that’s the only response you have to this instead of talking about the insidious nature of groups like Awake then that says a lot about you.==
Yes, it does say something about me. I asked my question because the Governor of the State of Illinois claimed that people are trying to ban history and teaching about slavery. I’m old enough to remember when people questioned people in power who spread misinformation as this Governor is doing with this issue. It says something about you that you would accept this falsehood and attack those who call him out on it. As soon as you can find a platform being promoted that would ban teaching about slavery in public schools, please let us know. Until then, keep your ad hominem attacks to yourself.
== This idea of banning Black history. It’s important for people to understand the history of slavery in the United States, our entire US History, warts at all.==
- Donnie Elgin - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 12:41 pm:
Cain is a CPA, Military VET, and a known member of the GOP. She believes that parents’ and taxpayers’ voices should be heard when working on ensuring local schools provide excellent educational opportunities for kids. Nowhere can you find any references to her wanting to ban books or not teach black history.
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20230303/connie-cain-2023-candidate-for-algonquin-based-community-unit-district-300-school-board
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 12:47 pm:
- Donnie Elgin -
Cain has retweeted both Dan Proft and Wirepoints since losing her bid to the Illinois House.
You want me to keep going?
=== More charges and counter charges from each group without enough specifics as to what each group believes the other is doing wrong.===
There’s the want to ban books, for openers.
I can’t help you’re ignorant to what are these wants.
Pretending “both sides” do you can feel good about supporting “a side” is being complicit to what you want ignired.
Good try.
- Politix - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 12:52 pm:
==There is a reason Christian schools are growing. Millions of Illinoisans don’t want anything to do with the political agendas that Illinois is pushing on kids.==
Christian schools aren’t the answer for avoiding AWAKE IL’s political agenda, but I think you know that.
- New Day - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 12:54 pm:
Donnie,
Nobody is going to explicitly say they want to ban the teaching of slavery (well almost nobody). Instead they freak out about CRT. But when you probe what they mean, they often will tell you that any suggestion that whites discriminated against blacks is indoctrination and should not be taught in school. Yup - that includes slavery. It’s happening all over this country and that’s what JB is fighting against with this donation.
- unafraid - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 12:58 pm:
=I can’t help you’re ignorant to what are these wants=
So I am ignorant. Your typical arrogance.
That is precisely the type of attitude I was talking about. You have proved my point, providing one has any sense of rationality.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 1:01 pm:
===So I am ignorant. Your typical arrogance.===
If you looked up the definition of ignorant…
“lacking knowledge, information, or awareness about a particular thing.”
… instead of being aggrieved, you might realize you said you wanted to be ignorant to these things since…
=== More charges and counter charges from each group without enough specifics as to what each group believes the other is doing wrong.
Invariably that is what these types of ‘debates’ degenerate into. Each side reflexively defends its own and and less and less information/examples of the issues appear.===
I can’t help what you write.
- Jocko - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 1:04 pm:
==As soon as you can find a platform being promoted that would ban teaching about slavery in public schools==
Google ‘1836 project’ and get back to me.
- TheInvisibleMan - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 1:06 pm:
–There is a reason Christian schools are growing. –
79 percent of them claim they are growing. They aren’t required to provide data to support that claim to the public, so who knows.
But that same number of them are also saying they are unable to hire enough qualified teachers.
Which is one of the main reasons they were in massive decline prior to the pandemic. A lot of people are about to learn the same lesson their parents generation learned.
The private diocese school I attended is down over 70% from when I attended school there. These schools would have to increase enrollment over 100% to even get back to the enrollment levels where they were 30 years ago.
It’s like bragging your stock that lost 80% of its value, has gone up 5%. If you only harp on the ‘good news’, you will miss the big picture. But that’s the point, isn’t it.
- JS Mill - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 1:13 pm:
=Connie Cain is not running on that platform…=
You must owe her money or something.
=“Mchenry County Blog” is run by Cal Skinner=
A right wing partisan, as is the blog.
=Millions of Illinoisans don’t want anything to do with the political agendas that Illinois is pushing on kids.=
I am sure you have data to support that. /s
Only one party is pushing for a disruption of schools by getting radicals elected to school boards. Very little of their platforms revolve around teaching and learning and most is focused on non existent culture war typ topics like litter boxes in schools. That topic is 100% made up and I am STILL answering questions about it to this day.
- TheInvisibleMan - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 1:25 pm:
–Your typical arrogance. That is precisely the type of attitude I was talking about.–
Some people only seem arrogant, to the ignorant.
There’s probably a childrens blog you can spend more time on where you will not run into anyone who knows more than you, to keep your ego protected.
- Rudy’s teeth - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 1:44 pm:
Is Darren Bailey pouting because he lost not only the governor’s race but his seat as a State Senator. Now, he’s grabbing onto the school board races as a way to offer commentary.
As Bailey aligns with Awake Illinois, he falls deeper into the abyss of a failed candidate.
- Appears - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 1:53 pm:
We have the freedom to choose any religion we wish in the Constitution (the same Constitution that the far right says that allows limitations on religions–but not guns. To the far right, religion is only Christianity). Nothing else.
But the key point in this is this: we have the freedom to choose our religion AND the freedom not to be governed by someone’s religion.
- Jocko - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 2:01 pm:
==As soon as you can find a platform being promoted that would ban teaching about slavery in public schools==
HF 802 prohibits academic concepts that present America and the state of Iowa as systemically racist or sexist.
- Demoralized - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 2:25 pm:
My problem with the people like Awake Illinois and their ilk is that it is an extreme minority who wants to take over our schools. They want to take their minority views and impose them on everyone. If they are unhappy with what is being taught then they have the option to homeschool their kids where they can teach them a whitewashed version of American history if they so choose.
- hisgirlfriday - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 2:35 pm:
Nice to know that in right-wing victim land the Republicans would never engage in hyper-partisan activity around school board races.
Meanwhile, in reality, the McLean County Republican Party is hosting an anti-CRT brunch sponsored by right-wing think tank, the Heritage Foundation, in the middle of the local school board campaigns.
https://www.mcleancountyrepublicans.org/march_2023_brunch
- Anon 2:41 - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 2:41 pm:
It’s a joke right? Doesn’t Awake understand that what they are espousing is partisan?
What am I saying, of course they understand. What Awake does is righteous. What Democrats do is evil.
- Lincoln Lad - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 2:52 pm:
Absolutely agree with Demoralized at 2:25. I don’t want my kids and grandkids taught in the manner they promote. I want them to appreciate other people, understand history, and be tolerant and caring of others.
- Mister Whipple - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 4:01 pm:
The McLean County Republucan party just sent postcards endorsing three right wing candidates for the (now formerly) non-partisan town council election and four way right candidates for school board, including candidates who want to save money by taking classes online and one who home schools his kids.
So, yes, someone who decided not to send his kids to the local schools now wants to help run the school system his kids don’t attend.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 4:02 pm:
===someone who decided not to send his kids to the local schools now wants to help run the school system his kids don’t attend===
To be fair, that happens a LOT in Chicago.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 4:11 pm:
===not to send his kids to the local schools===
Enter the “taxpayers” argument.
Is it better if one has kids attending and still is trying to ruin public schools?
Is it worse than if one has no students in the system but working to make a better learning experience and excellence?
It’s the damage not the credentials to do it with any or no connection
- Blue Dog - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 4:23 pm:
According to THE National School Board Association and published in a Carnegie report, school board elections nationally garner between 5 to 10% voters turnout. JB has some heavy lifting to do.
- H-W - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 4:29 pm:
@ Donnie Elgin 12:00
Actually, if you look to Cain’s Facebook page where she compares herself with her challenger, Cain presents her challenger as. “woke,” while presenting herself as an Awake-IL advocate.
Just sayin’
- Donnie Elgin - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 4:42 pm:
“while presenting herself as an Awake-IL advocate”
She does not mention “awake-IL” anywhere in her comparison to Ness; that is strictly in your head. I will repeat my earlier comment - there is nothing in her PR/platform or Social media about JB’s book banning or preventing black history from being taught.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Mar 6, 23 @ 5:35 pm:
===nothing in her PR/platform ===
There’s something like 100 candidates who are being targeted. Focusing on one, who we don’t even know is being targeted, seems premature and even off-topic.