Lake County Gazette

Illinois state Sen. Craig Wilcox (R-McHenry) said the proposed "Culturally Responsive" teaching standard is more of the same for the one-party rule state.

"With the Democrats being in charge the way they are for as long as they have been, nothing in Illinois happens void of politics, especially when it comes to education," Wilcox told the Lake County Gazette. "Lost in this education fight is the fact that education about ensuring a future for people that includes them being able to think through what's best for them. It seems the Democrats want a future where people aren't so educated, or at the very least have only been trained to think the way they want them to."

Even with the State Board of Education backing the plan as one aimed at creating a welcoming environment for students, conservative critics see it as more partisan politics that will spur such changes as requiring teachers to "create a risk-taking space that promotes student activism and advocacy."

Wilcox sees it all as just part of a master plan designed to give Democrats a political edge into the future.

"What government fears is that people will grow to think for themselves instead of being told how to do so," he said. "One can have no greater future than learning how to think for themselves, and anything less than that strikes me as scary."

Wilcox hoped to see more parents get involved.