DeKalb Times

State Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Cherry Valley) is applauding back-to-basics movements at the school board level across his district and the state. 

Syverson pointed out that Illinoisans are not naive and “know what the results have been. He urged voters not to "continue down the same failed path if we want children to be prepared for the coming world economy. While we are focused on Critical Race education China is focusing on physics. This does not end well if we don't change our focus.”

“It is not so much a conservative movement but a back-to-the-basics movement,” Syverson told DeKalb Times. “One that puts priority on reading, math, science, and preparing young people for jobs after school. It is about letting children be children, they are only young for a few years. Let them enjoy their time in school and not be pushed to deal with K-3rd sex ed and sexual identity issues. And we need candidates who believe in equal opportunity for students not equal outcomes. For the last 10+ years the focus has been on equal outcomes and the results, well everyone has seen them.” 

The 2023 elections include a Consolidated Primary on Feb. 28 if required and a Consolidated election on April 4.

State Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur) has urged conservatives to run for local school boards. “The conservatives have sat around here and said, ‘well, these school board elections are nonpartisan.’ So we kind of stayed out, out of a political presence in school board races, But the Democrats haven’t,” Caulkins, who represents District 101, told the Macon Reporter. “The Democrats haven't. They've supported their candidates and we end up with, you know, liberal, progressive socialists, school board members who then allow or promote that to the superintendents.” 

House Minority Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) said the state has been usurping power by passing mandates for curriculum in schools. "Speaking for myself, I believe the state places far too many costly, unfunded and burdensome mandates on our educators; not to mention the heavy hand of Illinois politicians and state bureaucrats making new mandates on curriculum,” McCombie told Prairie State Wire. “I believe in local control of schools, that school boards and administrators with input from parents are best equipped to make decisions regarding curriculum and classroom priorities for our kids’ education. After all, our local school board members live in our community and are accountable to us, the voters. Unfortunately, with the state passing new mandates into law, local school districts across Illinois have no choice other than to comply. We need to begin to return control of curriculum to local school boards and administrators while always giving parents a voice in their child’s education.”