PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — State legislators have approved a measure that would require school districts to create a policy on discrimination and harassment based on race, color, or national origin, as well as track incidents of discrimination within their districts.
The Racism Free Schools Act, or Senate Bill 90, was approved Thursday by the Illinois General Assembly. The legislation now goes to Gov. JB Pritzker for his signature before being enacted into law.
The legislation requires each district, charter school, or nonpublic, nonsectarian elementary or secondary school to create and implement a policy on discrimination and harassment based on race, color, or national origin. The legislation also requires the Illinois State Board of Education to create a data collection system to report on allegations of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation against students.
“When it comes to racial harassment, words are not enough. A concrete and meaningful policy response is needed to change behavior in our schools,” said Madeline Wood, Teach Plus Illinois Senior Policy Fellow who teaches music at United Junior High and United High School in Monmouth.
