Update (July 28, 2020): Earlier this month, Illinois officially made it mandatory for schools to teach students about the historic accomplishments of the LGBTQ+ community.
On July 1, schools across the state were ordered to begin including LGBTQ+ history in curriculums, and local news outlet WTVO reported that the law applies to every public school.
The move is part of the Inclusion Curriculum Law, which was signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker last year, reports WTTW.
Only four other states have similar laws mandating that the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people be given their proper place in school history lessons.
“We know that LGBT students are more often the victims of harassment and bullying because of their status. Part of the reason why that happens is because the general population students don't get an accurate portrayal and understanding of lesbian, gay and transgender individuals. They only hear the negative stereotypes, unfortunately, all too often,’’ State Rep. Anna Moeller told NPR earlier this month.
She explained that before the eighth grade, students will be taught about historic LGBTQ+ figures, and high schools will also be required to discuss LGBTQ+ history in at least one class.
Legacy Project Executive Director Victor Salvo told NPR that young LGBTQ+ people are routinely forced to go through childhood and grade school without learning anything about the community.
“It's as though people like themselves never existed. And that is a direct result of the genuine stories of many of the people that are actually already learning about having been redacted to remove that information from the story,” Salvo said.
Original (August 12, 2019): Illinois legislators passed a law requiring public schools to include LGBTQ history in their curriculum.
Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the Inclusive Curriculum Law on Friday, WGN-TV reported. The bill will require schools to include the contributions of LGBTQ people in school lessons.
“In public schools only, 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,” the bill reads.
The bill also requires school textbooks to be inclusive of “all people protected under the Illinois Human Rights Act and must be non-discriminatory as to any of the characteristics under the Act.”
Illinois schools currently include the history of women, people of color, disabled people and immigrants. Students will be expected to learn about LGBTQ people by the time they reach the eighth grade.
California, Colorado, Oregon and New Jersey already have similar laws in their books, according to CBS News.
State Representative Anna Moeller and State Senator Heather Steans, the bill’s co-sponsors, hope the new law will encourage students to accept every type of person, reports The Chicago Tribune.
“The new law’s goal is simple: to understand that people from different backgrounds deserve the same opportunity to learn and be recognized for their contributions in society as everyone else," Moeller said in a statement.
“One of the best ways to overcome intolerance is through education and exposure to different people and viewpoints,” Steans said. “An inclusive curriculum will not only teach an accurate version of history but also promote acceptance of the LGBTQ community.”
The law will go into effect in July 2020.
