It's been fascinating to watch this winter as the flames of fear fueled by white Christian nationalism and fanned by Gov. Kim Reynolds and her allies have swept through Iowa's capitol, targeting public education and educators.
Private schools now are underwritten by the state, objective teaching about subjects related to race is forbidden and attempts are underway to ban books and further marginalize LGBTQ+ people of all ages with "don't say gay" legislation.
So the contrast last week in Illinois, where Gov. J. B. Pritzker (left) delivered his state of the state address on Wednesday in Springfield, was notable. Here's how Gov. Pritzker addressed the topic as he was preparing to close:
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Our history is a series of stops and starts, of ups and downs, of our ancestors getting it tragically wrong and courageously right. The only thing we can hope for in this work is that the values we attach our names to will make our grandchildren proud.
After all, this is the Land of Lincoln. We have a responsibility to that legacy.
As Elie Wiesel said, “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”
With that in mind, I want to take sides on something I feel obligated to speak out about, especially given the history of antisemitism and discrimination suffered by my ancestors and that persists for so many others today.
There is a virulent strain of nationalism plaguing our nation, led by demagogues who are pushing censorship, with a particular attack right now on school board members and library trustees. It’s an ideological battle by the right wing, hiding behind a claim that they would protect our children — but whose real intention is to marginalize people and ideas they don’t like. This has been done in the past, and it doesn’t stop with just snuffing out ideas.
This afternoon I’ve laid out a budget agenda that does everything possible to invest in the education of our children. Yet it’s all meaningless if we become a nation that bans books from school libraries about racism suffered by Roberto Clemente and Hank Aaron, and tells kids they can’t talk about being gay, and signals to Black and Brown people and Asian Americans and Jews and Muslims that our authentic stories can’t be told.
I’m the father of two children. I care a great deal about their education. Like every good parent, I want to be involved in what they learn. I’m also a proud American. Our nation has a great history, and much to be proud of. I want my children to learn that history. But I don’t want them to be lied to. I want them to learn our true history, warts and all. Illinois’ young people shouldn’t be kept from learning about the realities of our world. I want them to become critical thinkers, exposed to ideas that they disagree with, proud of what our nation has overcome, and thoughtful about what comes next.
Here in Illinois, we don’t hide from the truth, we embrace it. That’s what makes us strong.
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The message coming across in Iowa to young people, I suspect, is "look elsewhere" if you're seeking a diverse and intellectually challenging place to follow your dreams. In Illinois, the message would appear to be, "welcome!"
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