Full Text of SR0149 97th General Assembly
SR0149 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, A unique opportunity exists in this State for | 3 | | secondary schools to be designated as Illinois Democracy | 4 | | Schools; these schools provide students with authentic | 5 | | experiences in the rights, responsibilities, and tensions | 6 | | inherent in living in a constitutional democracy; and
| 7 | | WHEREAS, Illinois Democracy Schools consciously promote | 8 | | civic engagement by all students, have an intentional focus on | 9 | | fostering participatory citizenship, and place an emphasis on | 10 | | helping students understand how the fundamental ideals and | 11 | | principles of our democratic society relate to important | 12 | | current problems, opportunities, and controversies; and
| 13 | | WHEREAS, Illinois Democracy Schools collaborate with | 14 | | parents, students, and their communities in developing a civic | 15 | | mission and in providing curricular and extra-curricular civic | 16 | | learning experiences for all students; and
| 17 | | WHEREAS, Illinois Democracy Schools engage all of their | 18 | | students in a continual process of improving and increasing | 19 | | civic learning and engagement; and
| 20 | | WHEREAS, Nine high schools in this State are currently | 21 | | designated as Illinois Democracy Schools, and thus have |
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| 1 | | expanded their students' opportunities for civic education and | 2 | | engagement; and
| 3 | | WHEREAS, Quality civic educational opportunities are vital | 4 | | for all students in this State and should be included in every | 5 | | student's school experience; and
| 6 | | WHEREAS, The original intent of public schools was to | 7 | | prepare children to participate constructively as adult | 8 | | citizens in our democracy, while recent school reform efforts | 9 | | emphasized improving student achievement in reading, | 10 | | mathematics, and science only; and
| 11 | | WHEREAS, Like millions of their peers across the country, | 12 | | many secondary school students in this State lack sufficient | 13 | | formal instruction and opportunities for the development of | 14 | | civic engagement; and
| 15 | | WHEREAS, Civic education in schools can play a vital role | 16 | | in encouraging today's youth to become the active and informed | 17 | | citizens our democracy requires; and
| 18 | | WHEREAS, The strength of our communities, this State, and | 19 | | our nation depends on future generations understanding, | 20 | | appreciating, and actively engaging in civic responsibility; | 21 | | therefore, be it
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| 1 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL | 2 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we commend the efforts | 3 | | of those 9 schools that have already taken the necessary steps | 4 | | to become Illinois Democracy Schools; and be it further
| 5 | | RESOLVED, That we encourage all secondary schools in this | 6 | | State to take the necessary steps to become Illinois Democracy | 7 | | Schools; and be it further
| 8 | | RESOLVED, That each school district's school report card | 9 | | shall designate which of the district's secondary schools, if | 10 | | any, are Illinois Democracy Schools and which are not; and be | 11 | | it further | 12 | | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | 13 | | delivered to the Illinois P-20 Council, the State Board of | 14 | | Education, the State Superintendent of Education, and all | 15 | | regional superintendents of schools.
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