Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Westmont) suspects the push to alter public school standards in Illinois drastically has Gov. J.B. Pritzker's fingerprints.
"I am concerned that we again see the Pritzker administration using the dark corners of administrative rules instead of the Legislature to make major policy changes about the criteria to qualify teacher certifications and to bring more politics into our schools through the back door," Mazzochi told the DuPage Policy Journal. "Parents should not have to worry that the only way future teachers can survive the Illinois certification program is to surrender their freedom of conscience."
Mazzochi's comments are in response to a proposal being called the "Culturally Responsive" plan.
Supporters of the policy defend it as one that will create a more welcoming overall environment for students. The new rules would also lead to such changes as teachers having to assess "how their biases and perceptions affect their teaching practice and how they access tools to mitigate their own behavior (racism, sexism, homophobia, unearned privilege, Eurocentrism, etc.)," The Center Square reported.
Mazzochi sees it as just more partisan politics.
"If the administration genuinely wants to be inclusive when changing standards for what it means to be a qualified teacher in Illinois, they should do so through legislation, publicly, and let all stakeholders —particularly parents and local school boards — have a say in that debate," she said. "When it comes to who can educate our students, we need widespread support if we want parents to place their faith and trust in state standards."
Mazzochi said since the proposal is partisan in-nature, she doesn't see how it can achieve what supporters insist it's designed to do.
"I have already heard many complaints from teachers that these rules will lead to a bigger culture of silence, not benefits, and more insular bubbles, not diversity of opinions, in the educator community," she said. "It is utterly dismaying that many teachers and students I have spoken with believe that if they speak out against the ruling orthodoxy, they will be retaliated against by their peers or administrators or not supported by their union."
The 12-member Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) is scheduled to take up the matter for debate on Feb. 16. At least eight JCAR members would have to support a motion to block the proposal to prevent it from taking effect in October.
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