LGBTQ History To Be Taught In Illinois Schools

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker passed a law that will see the state's public schools add LGBTQ history to their curriculum, as per CNN.

Rep. Anna Moeller introduced House Bill 246, which states that "in public schools only, the teaching of history shall include a study of the roles and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the history of this country and this State." One of the topics in the studies include the nation’s first gay rights organization, the Society for Human Rights. Equality Illinois, the state's largest LGBTQ civil rights advocacy organization, supported the bill and detailed that the studies will have a "positive effect on students' self-image and make their peers more accepting."

"One of the best ways to overcome intolerance is through education and exposure to different people and viewpoints,” State Senator Heather Steans, who also sponsored the bill, said in a statement. "An inclusive curriculum will not only teach an accurate version of history but also promote acceptance of the LGBTQ community."

The bill is set to go into effect in July 2020.

Photo: Getty Images


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