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Monday, September 14, 2015

What’s up with Illinois’ opt-out bill. | Fred Klonsky

What’s up with Illinois’ opt-out bill. | Fred Klonsky:

What’s up with Illinois’ opt-out bill.



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State Representatives Will Guzzardi (left) and Laura Fine (right).

We invited State Representatives Will Guzzardi and Laura Fine to our Skokie Organization of Retired Educators luncheon at Zhivago’s restaurant last Wednesday.

Laura represents a north suburban district where many of our retirees live.

Will represents me and those who live in Logan Square and the north side of Chicago.

State reps run every two years and so Will is collecting signatures to run again.

Nobody has announced that they will run against him. But those opposed to the progressive electoral movement in the city have spent thousands of dollars on glossy mailers in the last few weeks targeting Will

When Will beat the Democratic Machine two years ago it gave a major shot in the arm to the progressive electoral movement in the City. 35th Ward Alderman Carlos Rosa built on the electoral base that supported Will to beat the pro-Rahm incumbent, even as the Mayor himself defeated progressive Chuy Garcia.

Rosa is now collecting signatures to run for Democratic Ward Committeeman.

Guzzardi impressed many when among his first acts in Springfield was to introduce and sponsor HB 306, a bill that strengthened the rights of parents to have their children opt out of PARCC and other state standardized tests.

The Bill passed the House but is now stalled in the Senate. Pretty much What’s up with Illinois’ opt-out bill. | Fred Klonsky: