American history lessons taught in Illinois elementary and secondary schools can now become deeper and more extensive and give students even more information about Native Americans, after bill HB1633 passed through the House of Representatives on Thursday.
Now it will go to the Illinois Senate and then to the governor’s desk.
“You can’t really understand our state or our country without learning about the experiences and lives of Native Americans,” said Maurice West, a member of the state House of Representatives, who sponsored the bill. — We must preserve the history of Native Americans in Illinois, and it is absolutely necessary for our young people to clearly understand the history, experience and all the difficulties they have faced over the years. Schoolchildren are the next leaders of our state.”
“This is a win—win for Illinois,” said Andrew Johnson, executive director of the Native American Chamber of Commerce of Illinois. “Students will expand their knowledge of Native Americans, teachers will receive resources to represent our contribution to the development of the country both in the past and in the present, and the current American Indian population will be recognized and their achievements will be appreciated.”
Rock Valley College history professor Martin Quirk says Native American history is already being taught in schools, but not to the extent it should be. Quirk believes it’s important to be inclusive when it comes to the subject of history.
“History is evolving and changing, and I think the most important thing is that you give students the opportunity to hear several interpretations of all events and historical moments without exception,” he said.