By Mailee Smith | Opinion posted to The Chicago Tribune
As an Illinois parent, I have developed concerns about the public education system’s ability to prepare graduates for the workforce. I worry for my children’s futures.
While recently helping my son fill out college applications, I realized he wasn’t taught some basic life skills. Sure, he can find a derivative in calculus class and draft an essay for Advanced Placement world history. But other important life skills, such as how to email a college admissions counselor or job interviewer, appear missing from high school curriculum.
I thought maybe state lawmakers were having the same concerns when I saw Illinois Rep. Gregg Johnson, D-East Moline, introduce a bill requiring all public high schools to have a “Workplace Readiness Week” each year.
I almost cheered. But what will be covered in a week supposedly to prepare students for the workplace? How to prepare for an interview? How to email with a job supervisor? How to fill out tax forms?
Nope. The first subject listed: prohibitions against misclassification of employees as independent contractors.
Oh, yes. Learning about that every year would definitely help my son prepare for work.
Among other mandatory subjects are child labor laws, family leave and — of course — the right to organize a union in the workplace. And it all must be taught through the lens of “the labor movement’s role” in obtaining those “protections and benefits.” Every school year, every high school would be required to teach this propaganda. Precious time that could be spent getting students ready for life would be spent recruiting kids for union organizing and teaching them just one side of some very contentious labor issues.
In the meantime, most kids in our public schools can’t read or do math at grade level. Data released by the Illinois State Board of Education in October showed just 35% of third through eighth grade students could read at grade level.
Lawmakers should be ensuring teachers are provided enough time during the school day to teach the basics. They should not be appeasing their generous union friends by throwing unnecessary additional requirements in the mix.
To be fair, near the end of House Bill 4417, but almost as an afterthought, is mandated information on apprenticeship programs. That’s great. Apprenticeships are a proven, work-based educational program for empowering people to prosper. My dad did an apprenticeship program that led to a 40-year career.
But you can’t get an apprenticeship if you can’t read or fill out an application.
HB 4417 is the latest in a line of power grabs by union officials in Illinois. Last year, lawmakers failed to extend Illinois’ tax credit scholarship program, which allowed residents to take tax deductions for funding scholarships for low-income students. While the majority of Illinoisans supported the program, the Illinois Policy Institute found that teachers unions funneled nearly $1.5 million into lawmakers’ coffers in the five months leading up to the decision and succeeded in having it killed.
In 2022, Illinois passed Amendment 1, which grants the state’s government unions the constitutional power to demand anything in negotiations and even override state and local laws through collective bargaining. Unions in other states are copying it, with California and Pennsylvania considering similar amendments.
Now unions want our kids indoctrinated in the classroom.
It’s a platform the unions bought. Nine out of 10 current Illinois lawmakers have received money from unions. Between January 2010 and July 2023, unions poured $60.2 million into lawmakers’ political committees, according to an Illinois Policy Institute analysis of records from the Illinois State Board of Elections. The bulk of the funds — 95% — went to Democrats. More specifically, we found that 4 out of 5 current lawmakers have received money from teachers unions, to the tune of nearly $20 million.
History has shown Illinois lawmakers are more concerned about pleasing their union cronies than they are about making sure our kids can read, let alone get and keep a job. I understand unions are against “right to work,” but could they at least get out of the way so the next generation can be ready to work?
As a parent with multiple children coming through Illinois public schools, I implore lawmakers to get their education priorities right. Our students don’t need a union recruitment curriculum. They need to know how to do math.
Mailee Smith is the senior director of labor policy and staff attorney at the Illinois Policy Institute.
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