Full Text of HR0359 101st General Assembly
HR0359 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, Chicago Public Schools is the only school district | 3 | | in the State of Illinois that, by law, requires an appointed | 4 | | rather than elected school board; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, The Chicago Board of Education has the power to | 6 | | levy property taxes, cut or increase funding for schools, set | 7 | | the terms of teacher contracts, and decide whether neighborhood | 8 | | schools should remain open or shutter their doors; and
| 9 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Chicago Board of Education | 10 | | making these crucial decisions, which impact every student, | 11 | | parent, educator, businessperson, and homeowner in the city, | 12 | | are not accountable to the general public but rather to the | 13 | | Chicago mayor and special interests; and
| 14 | | WHEREAS, The appointed school board system has led to the | 15 | | privatization of school services and conflicts of interest, | 16 | | including cases wherein board members profit from the school | 17 | | district by contracting with businesses owned by the board | 18 | | member; and | 19 | | WHEREAS, For years, concerned parents, community members | 20 | | and their elected officials in the General Assembly have | 21 | | advocated for legislation providing for an elected school board |
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| 1 | | for the City of Chicago; and | 2 | | WHEREAS, The General Assembly is closer than ever to | 3 | | passing such a measure and establishing an elected school board | 4 | | in the near future; and | 5 | | WHEREAS, During recent elections, the amount of money | 6 | | flowing into campaigns for candidates up and down the ballot | 7 | | has been unprecedented, giving wealthy individuals and | 8 | | corporations a large influence over voters; and
| 9 | | WHEREAS, Across the United States, local communities have | 10 | | taken action to curb the influence of big money in campaigns; | 11 | | and
| 12 | | WHEREAS, Unless action is taken by the State of Illinois | 13 | | and the City of Chicago, funding from corporations and the | 14 | | ultra-wealthy will flow into elections for the Chicago Board of | 15 | | Education, leading board members to be accountable to special | 16 | | interests rather than the local community; therefore, be it
| 17 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | 18 | | HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 19 | | we urge the General Assembly to consider developing a campaign | 20 | | finance reform structure and implementing it specifically in | 21 | | regard to elections for the Chicago Board of Education; and be |
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| 1 | | it further
| 2 | | RESOLVED, That members of the Illinois General Assembly are | 3 | | encouraged to work with city officials and interested members | 4 | | of the Chicago Public Schools community to develop legislation | 5 | | that may be introduced after the creation of an elected Chicago | 6 | | Board of Education.
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