Education

The proposed legislation passed in the Illinois House of Representatives on Thursday. The Mascoutah Indians, Collinsville Kahoks, Cahokia High School Comanches and Whiteside Junior High’s Warriors could all be required to change.

Representatives passed the legislation 71-38 along party lines. If passed by the Senate, it would prohibit public schools from using references to disabilities as mascots and require them to change by 2028.

The bill requires school districts to develop a written policy on cellphone use in schools. That policy must be in place for the 2026-27 school year.

People with dwarfism find the term midget derogatory. The bill, requiring the Metro East high school to pick a replacement by 2028, could come up for debate on the House floor within two weeks.

The bill that would force Freeburg to ditch its mascot is scheduled to be called in two House Education Policy Committee hearings this week.

At least nine other states have adopted statewide policies limiting or banning the use of cell phones in schools. Elsewhere, even in the absence of a statewide policy, individual districts have begun acting on their own.

Some companies have established robust training programs because educational institutions and other local programs aren’t pumping out enough new workers.

The Kirkwood Democrat was elected in 2024 to represent a portion of St. Louis County in the Missouri House.

The legislation requires school districts to develop cellphone use policies, including restricting them during instruction.

Black students who had two or more Black teachers are 32% more likely to enroll in college.