Governor of Illinois J.B. Pritzker passed a bill Friday that forces public schools in the state to teach “LGBTQ” history as part of their curriculum.
The bill states “the teaching of history shall include a study of the roles and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the history of this country and this state” and that “No pupils shall be graduated from the eighth grade of any public school, unless he or she has received such instruction in the history of the United States, and gives evidence of having a comprehensive knowledge thereof.”
So now, not only are schools brainwashing children with anti-Trump rhetoric, but they’re instilling liberal propaganda about “sexual and gender orientation” into impressionable youth.
Take a look at this ridiculous new requirement that is going viral on Twitter:
Check out this great video on Youtube explaining the background of the bill and the increasing prevalency of similar requirements in school lessons:
The new law is not going over well with conservatives, Christians, or anyone who believes that children should not be brainwashed by their teachers!
Take a look at how people are responsing to this outrageous law on Twitter:
The Hill has more details on the law:
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) signed legislation ensuring state schools teach the role and contributions of LGBT people in American history.
Pritzker signed off on House Bill 346, which was recently passed by state House earlier this year, on Friday.
The law requires all schools in the state include "the role and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the history of this country and this State" in official textbooks.
The state’s Board of Education is also required to publish a list of the textbooks authorized to be purchased under the law annually.
“Each public school district and state-recognized, non-public school shall, subject to appropriations for that purpose, receive a per pupil grant for the purchase of secular and non-discriminatory textbooks,” the bill text reads.
The bill also includes a section that allows the department to adopt rules "as necessary" for the implementation the law and “to ensure the religious neutrality of the textbook block grant program.”
Townhall also commented:
Illinois Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker signed into law legislation that requires all state-recognized public schools to include in their curriculum the study of historic contributions that members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community have made for the state and the country.
The law mandates that "Each public school district and state-recognized, non-public school shall, subject to appropriations for that purpose, receive a per pupil grant for the purchase of secular and non-discriminatory textbooks." The state's Board of Education will publish an annual list of "approved textbooks."
One of the main supporters of the bill, State Sen. Heather Steans (D), said the reason for the bill is because "one of the best ways to overcome intolerance is through education and exposure to different people and viewpoints."
"An inclusive curriculum will not only teach an accurate version of history but also promote acceptance of the LGBTQ community," Steans added.
"It is my hope that teaching students about the valuable contributions LGBTQ individuals have made throughout history will create a safer environment with fewer incidents of harassment," she continued. "LGBTQ children and teenagers will also be able to gain new role models who share life experiences with them."
While the LGBT curriculum is limited only to public schools, the bill also mandates that private and Catholic schools expand their history lessons to include "a study of the role of labor unions and their interaction with government in achieving the goals of a mixed free enterprise system." It also requires the teaching of contributions from numerous ethnic and immigrant groups.
Illinois isn't the first state to pass such a bill. California, New Jersey, and Colorado have also passed similar legislation.
On this, Education Week said:
Starting next school year, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender history will be part of the curriculum in Illinois public schools.
Democratic Governor J. B. Pritzker signed House Bill 246 into law Aug. 9, making Illinois the fourth state to mandate teaching LGBT history, after California, New Jersey, and Colorado. The Illinois legislation takes effect in July 2020.
The law mandates that history classes in public schools "include a study of the roles and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the history of this country and this State." Any textbooks bought with state funding must cover "the roles and contributions" of LGBT people, and can't include content that is discriminatory to any particular gender or sexual orientation.
Nationwide, LGBT history often doesn't make it into the curriculum. Just under a quarter of students say that they have learned about LGBT-related topics in their classes, according to 2016 research from GLSEN, a national advocacy group for LGBTQ students.
In some states, teachers face restrictions on how they can discuss issues of gender and sexuality in the classroom. Six states have anti-LGBT curriculum laws that apply to sexual health education. Advocates say that the way these laws are written leaves room for them to be misapplied to other parts of school life, including curriculum in other classes or extracurricular activities, like a Gay-Straight Alliance.
Recently, though, some states have moved in the opposite direction. In April, Arizona repealed a law that banned teachers from delivering any instruction that "promotes a homosexual lifestyle." New Jersey and Colorado's laws, requiring schools to teach LGBT history, were both passed this year. In June, The 74 wrote that "the tide is turning" when it comes to LGBT-inclusive curriculum.
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