Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill into law that would require the state’s school to teach the role that LGBT individuals have played in American society.
“One of the best ways to overcome intolerance is through education and exposure to different people and viewpoints,” Democratic state Sen. Heather Steans, a sponsor of the bill, said. “An inclusive curriculum will not only teach an accurate version of history but also promote acceptance of the LGBTQ community.”
The law, which goes into effect next year, requires every student in Illinois public schools to be taught LGBT history before they finish the eighth grade.
Illinois is the fourth state in the United States after California, Colorado, New Jersey, and Oregon to mandate that schools include the study of LGBT history.
The law also requires “the teaching of history also shall include a study of the role of labor unions and their interaction with government in achieving the goals of a mixed free enterprise system.”
