All Illinois students will get a real lesson in civics thanks to HB 4025, which Governor Rauner recently signed into law. The bill promotes greater civic learning in Illinois by requiring one semester of civics education for all Illinois high school students.
HB 4025 was based on the recommendations of the Illinois Task Force on Civic Education, which was established by the legislature to study the status of civic education in Illinois and make recommendations on how to improve it. The findings of the Task Force showed a strong need to strengthen civic education in our state; Illinois was one of just ten states in the country that does not require a civics or government course to graduate from high school. The CBF supported this bill because civics education promotes greater understanding of the role and functioning of the justice system in our democracy, an important component of the CBF’s broader efforts to make the legal system more fair and accessible for people in need.
In addition to the supporters listed below, special thanks goes to Shawn Healy of the McCormick Foundation. Shawn chairs the Illinois Civic Mission Coalition that led this successful effort.
[panel background=”#eeeeee” color=”#222222″ border=”0px solid #3a63″ shadow=”4px 4px 2px #bbbbbb” radius=”4″]Take Action!
Join us in thanking Representative Deb Conroy and Senator Tom Cullerton, the legislative leaders in passing HB 4025, and Governor Rauner, who supported the initiative and recently signed the bill into law. Phone calls, emails and personalized letters can go a long way.
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