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* Greg Hinz…
Illinois Senate Republicans tightened the screws another notch on what the GOP thinks will be a winning issue this election year, introducing a tougher-than-tough anti-crime package that features a “two-strikes-and-you’re out” clause.
At a Springfield press conference as an official from the Fraternal Order of Police union looked on, senators outlined a package that, among other things, boosts funding for police, requires those convicted of assaulting a police officer to serve at least 85% of their sentence, sets a minimum 10-year sentence for anyone convicted of selling a gun to a felon, and automatically transfers cases of aggravated carjacking or armed robbery that involve a minor to adult court.
The core of the package would be a blast from the past.
Instead of proposing a “three-strikes-and-you’re-out” law of the type that was popular a couple of decades ago, the GOP wants 10 years for a first conviction and life for any others in cases of aggravated carjacking, possessing a gun as a felon, aggravated discharge of a firearm, or use of a stolen or illegally obtained gun in committing a crime.
More here.
* The governor was asked today about this provision…
Provides grants ($125 million/year) to local governments for the hiring, rehiring, and retention of law enforcement officers; funding body camera mandates, including data storage costs and personnel; funding for mandated training; assisting with outreach and community policing; assisting with mental health treatment of individuals in county jails; and purchasing public safety equipment to keep officers and communities safe. Grants to be administered by ILETSB.
* His response…
We’ll look at anything that we think will help address the problem of rising crime. That’s something that we’ll look at. But, I will say that I think we’ve got significant investments in this budget that address the challenges that municipalities are having with crime.
He did not elaborate.
* Meanwhile, Chalkbeat looks at several education-related bills to watch this year. Here’s one…
A growing movement and research backing phonics-based literacy instruction have spurred changes across the country in how schools teach students how to read. Many states have, or are in the process of, steering wholesale changes in reading instruction.
Illinois has been mostly missing from that conversation. As a state with a tendency toward local control of curriculum, it’s largely up to districts — and even individual schools, in the case of Chicago Public Schools — to determine how reading is taught.
A group of legislators, school board leaders, and education advocates hope to start to change that with a Right to Read Act bill.
The Senate version of the bill, sponsored by Sen. Kimberly Lightford (D-Maywood), would take a three-pronged approach: It would push the state school board to create a list of evidence-based reading programs and offer support, training, and grants for districts who want to adopt them; it would require teacher prep programs to offer an evidence-based reading assessment for teachers seeking relevant licensure in the early grades; and it would kick off a process of creating a statewide online training program for current early childhood and elementary teachers, as well as reading specialists and educators who work with students with disabilities.
* Center Square…
Charter school officials are not happy with the current contract renewal process for the pubic school option.
Several Illinois charter schools received contract renewals, but for only two to five years. Andrew Broy, president of the Illinois Network of Charter Schools, said high-performing schools should get a 10-year contract because the renewable process is tedious.
“It really limits their ability to focus on academic improvement, on forward progress and making the process go smoothly and focus on students,” Broy said. “Instead they get caught in this perpetual renewal treadmill.” […]
There are 141 charter school campuses in Illinois, with 128 of them in the city of Chicago.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Feb 1, 22 @ 3:06 pm
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-automatically transfers cases of aggravated carjacking or armed robbery that involve a minor to adult court-
There’s Constitutional limits on the ages of minors in that regard, but you be you GOP.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Tuesday, Feb 1, 22 @ 3:08 pm
My kids went to montessori preschool and they used phonics reading. All my relatives were so confused that my oldest knew so much reading but didn’t know the names of letters, only sounds.
Comment by SWIL_Voter Tuesday, Feb 1, 22 @ 3:11 pm
research backing phonics-based literacy
There was a lot of research showing the power of phonics back in the early 90’s when my kids were little.
And it was how it was taught when I was in grade school.
“Sound it out”……..
Comment by Fav Human Tuesday, Feb 1, 22 @ 3:15 pm
= He did not elaborate. =
Recently there have been quite a few IGAs between the state and counties, and then counties passing the state funding to municipalities in more IGAs, for the installation of new automated license plate readers.
These automated cameras are in addition to all the new automated cameras on the expressways the state police have just finished stage one of(I believe). The cameras at the municipal level are all being installed on county roads within the municipal boundaries.
I wonder if this automated license plate camera program is going to be expanded even more, and this might be what was at least partially being hinted in the response from the governor. It has been something law enforcement has been pushing quite strongly the past year or so.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Tuesday, Feb 1, 22 @ 3:23 pm
Sounds like more money for prisons but not enough for the communites that need investment.
Comment by Publius Tuesday, Feb 1, 22 @ 3:30 pm
Children learn to read when their parents read children’s stories with them as often as possible starting long before they enter kindergarten.
Comment by Enviro Tuesday, Feb 1, 22 @ 3:34 pm
“Reading with Phonics” was on our family’s bookshelf when I started kindergarten in 1969.
Phonics was the method used in both the state and parochial schools in Southern California back then.
Comment by Hieronymus Tuesday, Feb 1, 22 @ 3:37 pm
@- Enviro - Tuesday, Feb 1, 22 @ 3:34 pm:
“Children learn to read when their parents read children’s stories with them as often as possible starting long before they enter kindergarten.”
Wholeheartedly concur here. Again, this was our family’s practice starting when my brother and I were old enough to listen and continued until about through first/second grade when we could read most children’s books for ourselves.
Comment by Hieronymus Tuesday, Feb 1, 22 @ 3:42 pm
“research backing phonics-based literacy”
My mother talked about how “sight reading” was introduced in the early 1960’s, in place of phonics. The entire class spent 12-18 months trying to get back on track with their reading level as a result of the “experiment”.
Comment by Downstate Tuesday, Feb 1, 22 @ 3:48 pm
Amazing how we seem never to learn the lessons of decades of mistaken policy choices.
Comment by walker Tuesday, Feb 1, 22 @ 4:04 pm
Commit a felony with a gun. 25 yrs no parole. Age notwithstanding.
Comment by Blue Dog Tuesday, Feb 1, 22 @ 4:07 pm
The Republicans are all in on campaigning on crime, but they are incapable of even pretending to offer any solutions. Just more of the same lock ‘em up garbage.
Comment by charles in charge Tuesday, Feb 1, 22 @ 4:08 pm
Just more of the same lock em up garbage, as opposed to the Democrats let em go garbage. I’ll take lock em up, thank you very much.
Comment by Captain Obvious Tuesday, Feb 1, 22 @ 4:34 pm
===I’ll take lock em up===
It’s obvious, lol
“It’s just a bill”
Find the 60 and 30…
If it’s an election bill, have at it, I guess.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Feb 1, 22 @ 4:47 pm
“Commit a felony with a gun. 25 yrs no parole. Age notwithstanding.”
Sense notwithstanding.
– MrJM
Comment by MisterJayEm Tuesday, Feb 1, 22 @ 5:02 pm
“the Democrats let em go garbage”
Ah, yes.
Today’s crimes are due to Democratic reforms that haven’t even gone into effect yet.
Just like when Wednesday’s indigestion is due to the burritos that you’ll eat on Friday.
Makes perfect sense.
– MrJM
Comment by MisterJayEm Tuesday, Feb 1, 22 @ 5:06 pm
=== Today’s crimes are due to Democratic reforms that haven’t even gone into effect yet.===
Restaurant Quality
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Feb 1, 22 @ 5:10 pm
At this point why not just introduce a bill to allow the purge?
Comment by Todd Tuesday, Feb 1, 22 @ 5:52 pm
===At this point why not just introduce a bill to allow the purge?===
It’ll be Bailey sponsored, and introduced… he’ll call it the “Book of Revelations Bill”
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Feb 1, 22 @ 6:06 pm
The head of Illinois Network of Charter schools, quoted in the article above, and requesting more time between charter renewal requirements, spoke one of the House Education committees a few years back.
Mr. Charter Operator had been referring to Charters as being free of bureaucratic hindrances, able to innovate. A wizened legislator in ed policy asked him to elaborate, to describe just 3 innovations. was stumped. Finally - he responded - “Yoga. The teacher leads students in yoga, and dual language - they teach in two languages.”
Comment by Ashland Adam Tuesday, Feb 1, 22 @ 6:08 pm
= Sen. Kimberly Lightford (D-Maywood), =
This is all I need to know this is bad legislation.
=All my relatives were so confused that my oldest knew so much reading but didn’t know the names of letters, only sounds.=
Then it wasn’t being taught correctly. Period.
Phonics is a proven approach, but like anything there are other approaches that can be successful, usually with other supports. I love phonics and it has served many students well. Reading in the home is a powerful tool and can support success (almost ensure success) when partnered with another properly implemented reading strategy.
Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Feb 1, 22 @ 8:34 pm
I don’t know why the Republicans bother. With this corrupt map they’re not gonna have any success.
Comment by Just Me 2 Tuesday, Feb 1, 22 @ 8:44 pm
“Two strikes and you’re out” is pretty archaic isn’t it? How barbaric. It is time we try rehabilitation, and stop institutionalizing people.
Comment by H-W Tuesday, Feb 1, 22 @ 8:53 pm
I’m 64 years old and phonics was used to teach us in grade school. I am a prolific reader and still sound out words if I am unsure of how to spell a word. Say what you will, it stuck with me all these years.
Comment by Manchester Tuesday, Feb 1, 22 @ 9:48 pm
I think we need to hear more about the “evidence based” phonics mandated in Sen. Lightford’s bill. Similar legislation elsewhere has turned out to require specific curricula developed by specific vendors — to create a market, in other words, for their products.
On a more personal note, I was taught to read in the 1950s by a sight-reading or word recognition system. It held me back so much that I only got two master’s degrees and a PhD. In later years, when I taught developmental reading classes to college freshmen, I learned that people actually read by a combination of recognizing whole words and sounding out the letter combinations that make up a longer word. Reading is a complex cognitive activity, and it might be best to let teachers teach without one-size-fits-all legislative mandates.
Comment by olddog Tuesday, Feb 1, 22 @ 10:20 pm
=Reading is a complex cognitive activity, and it might be best to let teachers teach without one-size-fits-all legislative mandates.=
100% correct.
Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Feb 1, 22 @ 10:40 pm