Dupage Policy Journal

GOP activist Laura Hois is decrying a recent report that shows steep declines in the levels of achievement of Illinois public schoolchildren.

Hois cited District 99 school administration among those who are "serving their own interests" over the interests of students and parents. She reminds parents that they pay educators to teach math and reading and not indoctrinate them.

“I, a member of Awake Illinois, agree that the same thing is happening everywhere in Illinois – school districts are indoctrinating, not educating our students,” Hois, a former candidate for the District 81 House of Representatives, told DuPage Policy Journal. “H.S. District 99’s (Downers Grove) own equity report (page 46) shows that math and reading scores have been declining for the past five years. I believe this is directly related to the NEA, ISBE and teacher’s union requirements to implement equity programs (DEI) also known as critical race theory (CRT) since 2013 and more recently, national sex ed standards. These force communist, Marxist ideology into virtually every facet of our school systems with a view toward turning students into leftist activists to serve its agenda. All this has been going on for quite some time but was noticed during the COVID pandemic when students were locked down and harmed by masking and loss of freedoms.” 

The D-99 administration, according to Hois, is grooming the children and "keeping secrets from the parents" which they will not admit despite a number of "uncovered evidence."

“There is nothing more important than saving our kids from this corrupt indoctrination and abuse," she said. "Our children are our future. More parents need to step up. I’d like readers to know everything we have uncovered to date as we’ve attended and spoke[n] at board meetings for the past year. District 99 board voted unanimously to keep Gender Queer in its libraries at DGN and DGS in the face of a challenge from concerned parents opposed to pornographic materials (NBC news). District 99 has avoided answering questions about the curriculum being taught in English, history, sex education (health) classes and textbooks or visuals presented. They are not willing to tell residents (parents) what educators are being told to teach high school students. Instead, they say: 'There are no books, docs or videos – teachers use 'guidelines.'' No materials used in teachers’ professional development in SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) or Gary Howard’s 'white supremacist' programs.”   

The district has silenced the parents by imposing restrictions on public comment. Also, the anonymous complaint system has been replaced by Safe2HelpIL.com, a state program that campaigns "Students can call a 'trusted adult' at one of several state agencies who offer assistance by 24/7 phone hotline if they have an issue such as abuse, bullying, depression or suicidal thoughts.”

“Superintendent Thiele, FOIA officer and principals say little as possible while denying 'culturally responsible,' 'social-emotional' and 'equity' teaching is CRT in disguise. Joe Biden’s administration wants equity, not equal opportunity, for America’s youth. Equal opportunity means you’re living in the land of opportunity. Equity of outcome means you’re living in the land of communism, where everyone loses equally, collectivism prevails over individual rights, talents and dreams," she said. "D-99 is – and has been – hiding its racist, far-left activist focus as if that is none of our business. We the parents want what is best for our children. We’ve told D-99 Board and superintendent: Stop prioritizing social-emotional learning over quality education. Stop trying to take our parental rights away. Most parents don’t know about Safe2Help. This is all part of the deception. They are getting away with it. Too many parents are not paying attention. We – parents – are the trusted adult. We want our kids to talk to us. Not to state agencies.” 

In a recent study published by Wirepoints, black children's educational attainment in some Illinois school districts is as low as 0%. 

“Our assessment is harsh because student outcomes are beyond dismal and no one, it seems, takes any responsibility for them. Social promotion, hyper-inflated teacher evaluations and misleading ‘accountability’ designations from the Illinois State Board of Education all help to deflect blame,” the report reads. 

According to the research, only 2% of black third-graders in Decatur School District 61 can read at the grade level, and only 1% can perform arithmetic at the grade level. While Decatur's low achievement rates represent a stark achievement decline across many different spectrums of the student body, school achievement rates exist throughout the state.

Republican gubernatorial candidate State Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) raised his concern over the matter, according to a previous report by Macon Reporter. 

"Our education system is failing our kids and it is especially failing minority students," Bailey said. "It is time to empower parents with real choices when it comes to the education of their children. At a minimum, we need to allow parents to choose which public school to send their children [to].”

Wirepoints' report coincided with the promotion of an event with Corey DeAngelis, a national expert on school choice, by Awake Illinois. Awake Illinois will give free tickets to those who utilize the code "PARENTALRIGHTS." During a recent episode of the Adam Corolla Show, DeAngelis talked about school choice, Dupage Policy Journal reported. 

“We don't residentially assign low-income families to government-run grocery stores and tell them that they must use their food stamps at a particular institution. You can choose Wal-Mart, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and I can keep going on and on with examples but we do this in so many other areas. Why don't we do it with K-12 education too?” he asked. 

The event will take place at the Hotel Arista in Naperville on Saturday, June 18.