The daily ramping up of authoritarianism by the Trump regime is distressing and daunting. And we’re seeing the impact of attacks on Illinois’ public schools, where federal funds are being slashed for everything from HVAC improvements to local foods in school cafeterias to National History Day. But there is also resistance taking place at all levels—including protecting public schools and public school students—that we must celebrate and build on.  

🌱 Fighting for the freedom to learn

Every child deserves a welcoming and safe environment in their public school where they have the freedom to learn and be themselves. Unfortunately, some anti-equality groups in Illinois don’t agree and are spreading hate to target individual students and school districts. This includes Awake Illinois, which was identified as an anti-government group on the Souther Poverty Law Center’s Hate Watch map in 2023, Moms for Liberty, and America First Legal, a far-right legal advocacy org run by Trump advisor Stephen Miller.

In response, there has been organized solidarity to support trans students and the school districts who are doing right by them, in accordance with state and federal civil rights laws.

In Deerfield 109, a transgender middle school student has been singled out for hateful rhetoric. So far, the district’s response, which you can read here, has been to support the student and uphold the requirements of the Illinois Human Rights Act. At a school board meeting last week, pro-freedom-to-learn speakers from the local community were there in solidarity with trans students, and they greatly outnumbered haters brought in by Moms for Liberty from as far away as Peoria.

Chicago Sun-Times: Deerfield school board meeting draws hundreds voicing support for trans student
Unraveled Press: Bluesky live thread

Another school district Valley View 365U’s inclusive policies are also under attack, coordinated by Awake Illinois. At the Valley View school board meeting Tuesday night, once again, members of the school community, rallied in support of inclusion for all kids.

Blue Collar Jazz blog: Romeoville, Bolingbrook Locals Outnumber Out-Of-Town Hate Group At School Board Meeting
Photos by Paul Goyette: 4/14/25 Trans Allies at Valley View 365U Mtg

There is also an action alert for tonight (April 16th) for the Hononegah CHD 207 school board meeting at 7pm in Rockton. More info from Stateline Indivisible here.

These are not the first districts in Illinois to be targeted for supporting safe and welcoming schools where all kids can thrive—as we’ve been sharing for several years now, and they will not be the last school districts targeted in this way. Thankfully, there are organizations all over Illinois that can gather allies and organize to push back on hate and exclusion. Please reach out if you need to get connected to a network to build solidarity in your community.

One new grassroots organization working to protect trans kids’ right to education is Trans Up Front Illinois. They’ve been doing amazing organizing to support families of trans students in these school communities.

Trans Up Front Substack: Far Right Extremist Groups are on Tour Targeting Trans Children

Follow them on social media here: Instagram, Facebook, Substack, Bluesky, and pitch in to their efforts with a donation here.

🌱 ISBE says no to US Dept of Ed’s illegal attempt to dismantle progress towards racial justice in public schools

In January, Trump issued an executive order attempting to control what public schools teach and how they support their students with equitable and inclusive policies. That EO was followed up with a letter in mid-February and another on April 3rd.

Chalkbeat: Trump’s anti-DEI effort for schools reaches critical phase

The April letter demanded states’ departments of education (e.g. ISBE), as well as their districts and schools, sign what is in essence a loyalty oath pledging to conform with US Dept of Ed’s doctrine against “illegal DEI” practices by certifying that they are in compliance with USED’s demands.

Although they don’t define “illegal DEI,” we know that the end goal is to eliminate accurate teaching of US history, culturally-responsive practices, and really any efforts to ensure that all students, no matter their racial, ethnic, or gender identity, are receiving a high-quality education. Education law professor Derek Black describes the certification demand as an unprecedented "loyalty pledge to the administration’s racial world view. No person in the history of this country has ever exercised or even claimed to have such power."

In response to these letters, lawsuits against the US Dept of Ed have been filed by the ACLU and NEA, as well as the Legal Defense Fund on behalf of the NAACP.

Note that states already certify that they comply with federal civil rights laws if they are recipients of federal funding. There are no legal requirements that states should compel additional certification from schools and districts.

We’re relieved to see that Illinois replied to the certification demand saying just that, as have numerous other states with Democratic governors.

Chalkbeat Chicago: Illinois schools chief pushes back against Trump administration's anti-DEI push
Education Week: 'Illegal' DEI: See Which States Are Telling Trump Their Schools Don't Use It

Weaponizing hard-fought civil right laws against schools that are striving to do right by their diverse student populations and provide a high-quality education for all is outrageous.

More than 40 civil rights and education advocacy orgs sent a letter on Monday urging state and local education leaders to stay committed to providing educational equity and opportunity. Share it with your own local school leaders.

🌱 Some good news from Springfield

While the Illinois General Assembly is on a two week spring break, it’s the ideal time to check in with your state rep and state senator. Stop by their office and leave them a handwritten note about the bills you want them to support. Bills should now have moved to the opposite chamber from where they started to be on track for passage by the end of May. (The bill number tells you where it began, HB for House, SB for Senate.) If not, they can get an extension of the deadline to leave their chamber of origin, but it’s often a tougher path.

Here’s where some of the bills we’ve been supporting or sharing about stand currently:

• Strengthen SOPPA - HB 2696 - It passed in the House! (70-38; see how your rep voted here) Thanks to everyone for your calls and witness slips on this. It is now in the Senate, so it’s time to check in with your state senator and ask them to co-sponsor this bill. Read more about what’s in the bill and why we need a stronger enforcement option for the Student Online Personal Protection Act here.

• Too Young to Expel - SB 2423/HB 3772 [Fact Sheet] We shared info about the Senate version of this bill to end expulsion for Illinois’ youngest learners last week. The House version is continuing to move. It passed 62-46 and is now in the Senate. Ask your state senator to support HB 3772. The margin it passed by in the House was narrow with some Dems voting no. Look up how your state rep voted, and let them know if you are happy they supported it or are disappointed they didn’t!

• Rollback reforms of seclusion and restraint - SB 1943 This problematic bill did not get a Senate floor vote. Things are never completely dead in Springfield, so we’ll be keeping an eye on this bill. Read about it here.

• Clean Air for Healthy Equitable Schools - HB 429/SB 2193 This is an initiative of Illinois Stakeholders for Air Quality in Schools. It would require not just ventilation verification assessments but the distribution of high-quality HEPA filters and air quality monitors to immediately improve air quality for all children, teachers, and staff in IL public schools. It is subject to appropriation (i.e. availability of funding), but getting these requirements on the books is an important starting point.

🌱 Updates on opposing a federal school voucher program

Republican Congressional leadership is hoping to pass a budget bill by the end of May that would pay for massive tax cuts for the wealthy while slashing funding for everyone else, including healthcare and public schools. The Educational Choice for Children Act would create a $100 billion taxpayer-funded school voucher program, and it could be part of the reconciliation tax package. This would be devastating to public schools, especially paired with the plans to cut and divert federal funding for public schools.

If our US Senators Durbin and Duckworth and your Congressperson haven’t heard from you recently about this issue, please reach out again! Here’s an email you can send, and use 5calls.org to find out if they have a town hall scheduled while they are back at home for recess. Senator Durbin’s staff has said that he opposes a federal voucher program, but we have not yet gotten an answer from Sen. Duckworth. (Let us know if you have!)

Passing a reconciliation bill is unlikely to be decided on the Democratic side of the aisle. We are setting up an opportunity on Monday, April 28th to reach out to districts with Republican reps to talk to constituents there about how vouchers would hurt public schools. Please save the date and keep an eye out for more info!