LGBTQ History Month is having a much broader impact in Illinois this year, thanks to a new law that mandates the teaching of LGBTQ heritage in public schools across the state.
Signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker in 2019, the LGBTQ Inclusive Curriculum Bill took effect this semester, and makes Illinois the fourth state, after California, Colorado and New Jersey, to implement such a law—Oregon also passed such a mandate last year, but has until 2026 to put theirs into effect. And while Pritzker is facing fierce backlash from Illinois's students and parents right now, it's not over this—they're far more upset over the governor's decision to ban all high school contact sports this fall due to COVID-19 concerns ...