Illinois Educators call for school compliance with safety laws

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WIFR) - The Illinois Education Association (IEA) met with lawmakers Wednesday afternoon to issue an urgent plea to schools: comply with the School Threat Assessment law passed in 2019. The law requires schools to have a plan to handle threats of potential violence and allots additional resources for mental health staff.

“If school districts are not complying with the law, they are putting our children’s lives at risk,” urges IEA President Kathi Griffin. “We are getting reports of increased violence in our schools from our members all across the state today, the IEA increased violence in our schools by calling for school administrators to immediately comply with the school threat assessment law.”

“Teachers should not have to worry about their safety and the safety of their students,” adds Representative Fred Crespo of the 44th District.

One local school district leader says school violence has only increased during his career. He says social media is almost impossible to control, and easily amplifies tension.

“The ease with which people can make other people feel uncomfortable or raise things to a different level, those sorts of things with the advent of social media now become extremely easy,” says Hononegah School Board President Dave Kurlinkus.

Representatives Fred Crespo and Tony McCombie say they will work on a bi-partisan bill to track schools’ compliance with the law.

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