Illinois’ Inclusive Curriculum Law took effect on July 1, 2020. Nearly two years later, Zella Milfred, Reporter for The Daily Northwestern, interviews teachers, students, and other stakeholders to explore how the implementation is going.

Grecia Magdaleno, Policy and Advocacy Manager for Illinois Safe Schools Alliance, offers context for the challenges some schools face:

Grecia Magdaleno, the policy and advocacy manager for the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance, outlined three main roadblocks in ensuring schools’ compliance with the law. They said the large size of the state, educators’ hesitancy about where to begin and the fact that it is an unfunded mandate are obstacles. School closure due to the pandemic has been an additional hurdle, and Magdaleno emphasized advocacy is essential to pushing implementation forward.

Currently, the Inclusive Curriculum Advisory Council of Illinois is working with school districts on a case-by-case basis, Magdaleno said. According to them, the main problem is not that teachers disagree with the law, but that some don’t know where to begin and may be “afraid of the unknown.” 

Read the full article here:
Local teachers discuss implementing LGBTQ+ education law

Learn more here about Illinois’ Inclusive Curriculum Law.


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Illinois Safe Schools Alliance made PHIMC its home in 2019.