This coming school year, districts will be expected to provide information on LGBTQ figures in history before students graduate eighth grade.
State representative Anna Moeller, an Elgin Democrat, said she believes the addition is positive for all students.
“We know that LGBT students are more often the victims of harassment and bullying because of their status. Part of the reason why that happens is because the general population students don't get an accurate portrayal and understanding of lesbian, gays and transgender individuals. They only hear the negative stereotypes, unfortunately, all too often,’’ she said.
Information also is required to be included in a one-year high school class.
Republican State Rep. Tom Morrison of Palatine voted against the law. He said he did so in part, because schools already had too many unfunded mandates.
Curricula is being created to provide schools with information on LGBTQ history.
One of the groups creating the lesson plans is the Legacy Project, a group that celebrates LGBTQ information. Victor Salvo is the executive director.
“LGBTQ youth grow up and go through the entire education system without ever hearing anything positive about people like themselves. It's as though people like themselves never existed. And that is a direct result of the genuine stories of many of the people that are actually already learning about having been redacted to remove that information from the story,” Salvo said.
Illinois is the fifth state to require teaching about LGBTQ figures.
