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* Sun-Times…
A bill that would create a new teacher and principal mentoring program in Illinois schools passed the state Senate Wednesday over Republican objections that it would adhere to “culturally responsive” educational standards.
Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford said the “culturally responsive teaching and learning standards” underlying the bill she sponsored are “about creating a learning environment in which students from all different backgrounds feel included and engaged.”
But southern Illinois Republican Sen. Darren Bailey, who’s running for governor, argued the bill is “replacing our children’s education with political indoctrination.”
Lightford, a Maywood Democrat, said, “This is about professional development and making sure we began to address the teacher shortage, the lack of supports that we give to new teachers, new principals, and so that they have the mentorship that’s needed.”
* Planned Parenthood…
Advocates for the Responsible Education for Adolescent and Children’s Health Act (REACH Act), led by Planned Parenthood Illinois Action (PPIA) and Equality Illinois (EI), worked with the coalition supporting the Illinois Healthy Youth Act to create one bill that requires age-appropriate, comprehensive, and inclusive personal health and safety education for grades K-5 and sexual health education for grades 6-12 for all Illinois public school students. The Keeping Youth Safe and Healthy Bill (SB 818), sponsored by Sen. Ram Villivalam, was filed Wednesday, April 28. SB 818 retains the key elements of the REACH Act while strengthening the language in the details of the legislation.
“Combining these two pieces of legislation not only makes sense so that legislators have to vote on just one bill—it was an opportunity to refine the language to benefit Illinois public school students,” said Brigid Leahy, Senior Director of Public Policy for PPIA. “The new bill still requires age and developmentally appropriate education for grades K-12, as well as providing information that is medically accurate and inclusive. SB 818 still focuses on healthy relationships, bullying, abuse and violence prevention and empowering students to make healthy and safe decisions.”
Currently, 30 states require personal health and safety education or sexual health education, but Illinois is not one of them. The Keeping Youth Safe and Healthy Bill will require that the experiences and needs of all youth in the school, including disabled students, parenting students, and survivors of interpersonal and sexual violence are addressed. This education will not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, national origin, disability, religion, gender expression, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
“Illinoisans recognize the need to ensure all public schools affirm and equip students, including LGBTQ students, with the inclusive tools and information they need to build healthy relationships and lead safe and supported lives,” said Myles Brady Davis, Director of Communications at Equality Illinois, the state’s civil rights organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Illinoisans. “With the Keeping Youth Safe and Healthy Bill, the Illinois Senate and House of Representatives have the bold opportunity to act now to support all students, especially LGBTQ students, in all parts of the state.”
If passed, the Keeping Youth Safe and Healthy Bill will require the Illinois State Board of Education to adopt rigorous learning standards. Schools will start teaching according to the standards in 2023, allowing schools adequate time and resources to implement high-quality programs. School districts will maintain control by selecting their curricula and the number of teaching minutes. Parents will retain the right to remove their students from classes.
* “Protection Against Lindsay Lohan’s Dad Act”…
Bipartisan-backed legislation that tightens the legal screws on “patient brokers” targeting Illinois residents struggling with opioid addiction and other behavioral health illnesses by marketing expensive, questionable ‘treatment’ services, a measure newly dubbed “Protect Against Lindsay Lohan’s Dad Act” by proponents, has been approved by the full Illinois Senate.
The legislation, Senate Bill 2312, sponsored by State Senator Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago), among other things, bans treatment provider employee or independent consultant compensation based on “volume or value” of patient referrals, according to Illinois Association for Behavioral Health CEO Jud DeLoss, who initiated the bill idea.
DeLoss cited the recent incident involving Michael Lohan, father of actor Lindsay Lohan, who was arrested on April 23 by Palm Beach County sheriffs on five counts of patient brokering and one count of conspiracy to commit patient brokering. A Florida-based drug treatment center allegedly paid Lohan or a business with links to Lohan more than $27,000 in kickbacks.“The patient brokering charge against Michael Lohan, regarding $27,000 in so-called ‘referral fees’ is precisely the offense that our legislation targets,” said DeLoss. “This bill squeezes out the financial incentive for employees or consultants to recruit patients, prohibiting compensation based on volume or value of treatment, and that’s why we have dubbed it the ‘Protection Against Lindsay Lohan’s Dad Act.’”
…Adding… Update from yesterday…
After being one of the strongest advocates in favor of the landmark criminal justice pillar of the Black Caucus agenda that passed in January, State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago) is continuing his fight to win real safety and justice for all Illinois residents with a proposal to stop the use of deceptive interrogation practices on children.
“Kids are taught to trust adults in positions of power, and it is unconscionable to allow law enforcement to exploit that trust in order to coerce information,” Peters said. “These kids are scared and may not fully understand their rights or of how the legal process works, so it’s a lot more likely that they’ll give false information if deception is added to the mix.”
The legislation would make statements provided by minors under the age of 18 inadmissible as evidence against the minor in court if they were made during an interrogation where the law enforcement officer intentionally engaged in deception. It defines deception as knowingly providing false information about evidence or leniency.
“What message does it send when we allow law enforcement to lie to our kids in order to get them to say what they want?” Peters said. “If we want real safety and justice in our communities, we need to rebuild the trust between the people and the officers charged with protecting them.”
The Illinois Senate approved Senate Bill 2122 with bipartisan support Thursday, and it will now be sent to the House of Representatives.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Apr 29, 21 @ 1:42 pm
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Lindsay Lohan’s Dad? Really? I read the story and yea, it’s bizarre. But does anyone in Illinois have a clue who Lindsay Lohan’s Dad is? Really bizarre choice.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Thursday, Apr 29, 21 @ 1:47 pm
This bill is about supporting new teachers and principals, so they grow and develop into their roles, and make a career of serving in public education.
So its a bit silly to get worked up about the bill, because it aligns to new state standards.
Illinois and the nation have pressing concerns, maybe elected officials should address those?
Comment by Ashland Adam Thursday, Apr 29, 21 @ 1:50 pm
Root cause of the teacher shortage is the Tier2 pensions. I think the prospective teachers should be fully informed of the consequences of Tier2 to their future so they can make an informed decision.
Comment by DuPage Thursday, Apr 29, 21 @ 2:00 pm
— Lindsay Lohan’s Dad? Really? I read the story and yea, it’s bizarre. But does anyone in Illinois have a clue who Lindsay Lohan’s Dad is? Really bizarre choice.—
Since you cited “Lindsay Lohan’s Dad” twice, perhaps not a bad choice after all.
Comment by King Louis XVI Thursday, Apr 29, 21 @ 2:09 pm
If the Illinois Association for Behavioral Health wants to target Michael Lohan as part of their legislative strategy, so be it. But the sins of the father should not be grafted on to the daughter just so the organization can use her celebrity status to get a PR bump. That an organization that promotes behavioral health would do this to a woman who has behavioral health issues, in my book, moves this crass publicity ploy to the level of being reprehensible.
Comment by SouthSide Markie Thursday, Apr 29, 21 @ 2:27 pm
I appreciate what the sponsor is trying to do with this bill, but I think they need to go back and negotiate more with the opposition. So at this point I urge a no vote.
Comment by M. Lohan Thursday, Apr 29, 21 @ 2:33 pm
=Root cause of the teacher shortage is the Tier2 pensions.=
While I agree this is a part of the problem it is not the root cause. There is no single root cause it is an amalgam of issues. Politicians spent decades beating up on teachers (now they attack administrators) and blaming them for school woes. Underfunding of education and increased expectations. Poor pay relative to other jobs that require a college degree and ongoing education. Tier 2. Bruce Rauner (yes, during his administration the number of people taking educational licensure tests dropped by 75%)
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Apr 29, 21 @ 2:59 pm
==I think the prospective teachers should be fully informed of the consequences of Tier2 to their future==
50 states with 50 pension systems to chose from.
Comment by City Zen Thursday, Apr 29, 21 @ 3:01 pm
The thought of a cop playing head games with a kid just enrages me. I don’t know if it will actually help, but I hope Sen. Peters bill passes.
Comment by allknowingmasterofraccoodom Thursday, Apr 29, 21 @ 3:07 pm
= does anyone in Illinois have a clue who Lindsay Lohan’s Dad is =
I didn’t even know who Lindsay Lohan was, much less her dad, until I looked her up just now.
Comment by JoanP Thursday, Apr 29, 21 @ 3:55 pm
== 50 states with 50 pension systems to chose from.==
Illinois pretends it’s system meets the fed’s criteria for a waiver from Social Security; it does not. That puts teachers in an even worse position than it may appear
Comment by Pot calling kettle Thursday, Apr 29, 21 @ 4:14 pm
==Illinois pretends it’s system meets the fed’s criteria for a waiver from Social Security; it does not. That puts teachers in an even worse position than it may appear==
Correct. And inevitable Tier 2 pension enhancements are not factored into any long-term pension projections.
Comment by City Zen Thursday, Apr 29, 21 @ 4:31 pm
==“Protection Against Lindsay Lohan’s Dad Act”==
When I first saw that, I thought, “Is he hanging around the Blagos lately?”
Comment by EssentialStateEmployeeFromChatham Thursday, Apr 29, 21 @ 6:27 pm