Metro East Sun

State Reps. Avery Bourne (R-Litchfield) and Deanne Mazzochi (R-Westmont) have introduced legislation that Bourne said will give parents more of a voice in their children's education.

According to a post on her Facebook page, HB 5344 would:

"Require a school board to ensure parents are free to petition the school board and speak freely at all public and regularly scheduled school board meetings; ensure that parents are well-informed on what is being taught in their child's classroom; give parents the right to meet with a child's teacher at least twice per school year; and require a school board to post curriculum and learning materials on the school district's website."

“I am urging my colleagues to pass this bill as soon as possible,” she wrote on Facebook.

Bourne and Mazzochi aren't the only Republicans in the House introducing education bills.

Rep. Keith R. Wheeler (R-North Aurora) is sponsoring HB 5239, which would require school districts to adopt a policy to ensure that a parent or guardian can request to review curriculum and learning material throughout the school year. 

Reps. Adam Niemeg (R-Teuropolis) and Blaine Wilhour (R-Effingham) have introduced the Parental Access and Curriculum Transparency Act, or HB 5505, that would require school boards to make it easier for parents to file objections to what is taught.

The legislation is a part of a trend with Republican lawmakers. For example, the Texas Tribune reported that Gov. Greg Abbott recently passed a bill on how Texas school teachers should teach current events and the United States’ history of racism.

The American Enterprise Institute attributes the new push for transparency to the Goldwater Institute’s Matt Beienburg, who "articulated a compelling proposal for academic transparency for AEI’s 'Sketching a New Conservative Education Agenda' series." 

According the The American Enterprise Institute schools should publicly post all materials used in the classroom so parents can see — at a glance online — what is being taught.

Bourne is running for lieutenant governor on the same ticket as gubernatorial candidate Richard Irvin.