Yesterday in Springfield, knowing that she wouldn’t have the votes to get the comprehensive sex ed bill passed, the bill’s chief House sponsor, State Representative Camille Lilly (D-Chicago) decided not to call it for a vote. This is a huge victory and one for which we want to thank every Illinois voter who took the time to express their opposition to it to their representatives, friends, and neighbors.

We also want to thank every lawmaker who made it clear to Rep. Lilly and other sponsors of the bill that they would not vote for it.

This week also saw the failure of the Illinois Senate to pass the ideological and unnecessary bullying bill. The bill’s sponsors failed to garner the 30 votes necessary to pass it. The vote was too close for comfort and reveals that Illinoisans, with and without children in public schools, need to remain vigilant and actively involved in the political process. But it was a significant victory for which IFI wants to thank every voter and lawmaker who worked to oppose this troubling bill.

The failure of this bill underscores the fact that opposition to bullying does not obligate lawmakers to vote for every bill that comes down the legislative pike.

All of us, citizens and elected representatives alike, need to be discerning and to think deeply about how bills may in the future be interpreted and applied. We need to think critically about whether proposed bills are necessary; about who creates and promotes them, including outside organizations; and about the arguments used and evidence (or lack thereof) to defend them during floor debates.

Again, IFI wants to extend our heartfelt thanks to every Illinois citizen and lawmaker who worked to protect children from exposure to false and destructive ideas and to protect sound pedagogy in publicly funded schools from further incursion by ideologically driven dogmatists.