In an effort to promote a culture of civic responsibility and to engage students in democratic participation and activism, students in Township High School District 214 will participate in a variety of civic engagement opportunities. Students are invited to attend panel-style discussion forums hosted by Elk Grove High School on Oct. 11th (morning forum - 9:07a-10:50a, afternoon forum - 1:30p-3:10p), Wheeling High School on Oct. 18th (morning forum - 8:49a-10:25a, afternoon forum - 1:45p-3:19p), and Rolling Meadows High School on Oct. 24th (evening forum - 4:00p). Candidates in the gubernatorial general election on November 6, 2018 will gather to discuss issues as students co-moderate with staff from the Daily Herald, Jim Slusher and Chuck Keeshan.
Candidates include U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D), 8th Congressional District; Candidate Jitendra Diganvker (R), 8th Congressional District, Candidate John Elleson (R), 9th Congressional District; Sen. Laura Murphy (D), 28th IL Senate District; Sen. Tom Rooney (R), 27th IL Senate District; Candidate Ann Gilespie (D), 27th IL Senate District; Sen. Julie Morison (D), 29th IL Senate District; Candidate Barret Davie (R), 29th IL Senate District; Candidate Karen Feldman (R), 59th IL Representative District; Candidate Daniel Didech (D), 59th IL Representative District, IL Rep. Marty Moylan (D), 55th Representative District; Commissioner Tim Schneider (R), Cook County District 15; Candidate Kevin Morrison (D), Cook County District 15; Candidate Abdelnasser Rashad (D), Cook County District 17; and Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson
Both Democratic and Republican candidates running for each office listed were invited to attend, and confirmations are still pending.
League of Women Voters, a non-partisan organization that ‘believes in the power of women to create a more perfect democracy’, and Citizen Advocacy Center, a nonprofit and nonpartisan free community legal organization, will speak to students about what they do and how high school students can get involved. LWV will facilitate mock elections and register new voters during lunch periods. Students who wish to register need their state ID and social security number.
HB 4025 (Public Act 99-0434) was recently passed in Illinois and requires that high school students complete a stand-alone, semester-long civics course. Civics course content must include instruction on government institutions, the discussion of current and controversial issues, service learning, and simulations of democratic processes. A sepa
rate law (Public Act 099-0485) was later passed stating the course mandate takes effect on July 1, 2016, and applies to incoming freshmen for the 2016-17 school year.
For more details on these events, and to access research tools and voter resources, visit Engage-Today.com.
