Teachers, has your state become hostile to your autonomy, your rights and the mission of education? If yes, I say: Come to Illinois. We\u2019re hiring, and we\u2019d love to have you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Illinois leaders have taken deliberate action to ensure our schools respect the role of the teacher, our laws respect the rights of women and our curricula honor the contributions of Black, Indigenous and people of color and LGBTQ+ leaders to our nation’s collective history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently signed legislation making Illinois the first state in the nation to outlaw book banning<\/a>. Our state values your expertise as an educator and believes that engaging with challenging texts under your guidance ultimately prepares students for success navigating and understanding the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. <\/em>Sign up for The 74 Newsletter<\/strong><\/a><\/p> Here in Illinois, we do not shy away from our complex histories or identities. While Texas tries to ban discussions about race and Florida forbids teachers from \u201csaying gay,\u201d we have revised our social studies standards<\/a> in the opposite direction. We encourage dialogue from multiple perspectives. We require schools to teach about the contributions<\/a> of Asian Americans, Black Americans, Native Americans and LGBTQ+ Americans. We protect the freedom and professional judgment of educators to choose instructional materials that represent and affirm the diversity of Illinois\u2019 students. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Illinois has charted a compassionate path to embrace children and educators of every background and identity and codified it into law, affording educators the professional freedom to do their best work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the National Center for Education Statistics<\/a>, women make up 77% of the teaching profession. While states across the nation have gone backward in the wake of Roe v. Wade<\/em>, Illinois continues to trust women. Our lawmakers have codified reproductive rights<\/a>, bodily autonomy, and access to contraception and abortion in state law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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