( Chicago, IL, January 23, 2015 ) — In response to Governor Rauner's nomination of Reverend James Meeks as Chair of the Illinois State Board of Education, Christopher Clark, Counsel and Youth and Schools Program Strategist for Lambda Legal, released the following statement:
"Keeping LGBTQ students safe in school and protecting their right to a fair and equal education is a critical part of Lambda Legal's mission. The people who lead and oversee our schools must consider it their highest duty to ensure that our schools are safe, respectful and supportive to all students. We simply cannot allow anti-LGBT rhetoric and policies to stand in the way of our children becoming the best that they can possible be. For this reason, Lambda Legal has joined a coalition of local advocates and concerned citizens opposing Governor Rauner's decision to nominate Reverend James Meeks to become the Chairman of the Illinois State Board of Education. Rev. Meeks's long record of making hateful public comments about the LGBT community and his active attempts to deny our families the freedom to marry are well-known, as are his demeaning comments about women and members of the Latino, Asian and Jewish communities. Such divisiveness has no place in setting an education agenda for our children's future. We urge Governor Rauner to withdraw this nomination."
Lambda Legal has joined the coalition of organizations asking Governor Rauner to withdraw the nomination of Rev. James Meeks. The following is the full coalition statement:
Governor Rauner, in his inaugural address, said that schools were his priority, that he wants Illinois to be a state where "children are inspired by their schools". It is hard to be inspired at school when you're subjected to harassment, intimidation and discrimination. It is for those reasons that we are disappointed that Governor Rauner has nominated Reverend James Meeks to lead the Illinois State Board of Education.
Rev. Meeks has made his contempt and disgust of many communities very clear. He has said publicly that LGBT people are "not natural" that we're "an evil sickness", and supports a deadly anti-choice stance. Meeks also believes in the exclusion of Latinos, and Asians as minorities, and that women of all races should not be considered a minority community because they "are not people who have been discriminated against." Reverend Meeks' long history of actively and vocally working to undermine every effort and initiative that support the values of equality and justice that we have sought to achieve is insulting and harmful to the children and their parents in our school system. It is offensive and duplicitous that Governor Rauner, after promising "no social agenda", would nominate a bully to lead a board whose mission is "to provide leadership, assistance, resources and advocacy so that every student is prepared to succeed".
Numerous organizations, being led by the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance, are meeting to bring voices to the forefront to challenge this appointment. We are committed to doing everything we possibly can to protect all students from harm, including LGBT students. Rev. Meeks has been a divisive voice, attempting to drive a wedge between Illinoisans based on race, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Illinois can — and must — do better for the safety and success of our students.
Those organizations lending their name in support of these efforts: About Face Theatre, Affinity Community Services, Center on Halsted, Equality Illinois, Lambda Legal, Peoria Proud, Prairie Pride Coalition, and Pride at Work Chicago.
An updated list of coalition members can be found here: www.illinoissafeschools.org/meeks-ISBE-chair .
