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CHICAGO –Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) joined the Senate Education and Higher Education Committees for a hearing focused on lowering the compulsory school age, determining metrics for advancement and building inclusive environments.

Thursday’s hearing was the second hearing dedicated to education and workforce development, the second pillar of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus’ agenda to rid Illinois of systemic racism.

“We learned so much about the opportunities missing for Black children in early childhood,” Lightford said. “It is appalling where Black children are in regards to literacy, mathematics and overall readiness to begin the first grade. Our state has a lot of changes to make to ensure our children are starting their education strong and have a fair chance at success.”

CHICAGO – Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) issued the following statement in reaction to Detective Brett Hankinson being charged with three counts of wanton endangerment in the first degree in the murder of Breonna Taylor in her Louisville apartment on March 13. No charges were brought against Jonathan Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove, the other two officers involved in the shooting.

“It is impossible to express the weight of the injustices and cruelty carried out against the Black community throughout the history of our country. When an officer can justify the murder of Breonna Taylor as legal, moral and ethical, then his colleague walks away with nothing more than a slap on the wrist, there can be no doubt that Black women do not matter in our country today.

“The pain, anger and frustration of this grand jury decision runs deep in every fiber of my being because it is a personal attack on my humanity as a Black woman and on all the Black women I hold dear to me. Breonna Taylor deserved to live, as do all of us.

“I ask for those who feel the need to unleash their hurt today to do so without destruction. Our communities have been struggling to survive for far too long and cannot afford more loss. We need to continue our fight in unity and power. Do not concede any points to those against our movement when they are just waiting to find a reason to continue justifying their racism and cruelty.”

CHICAGO—The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus called for equitable resources for Black students who have been historically marginalized and underserved in a press conference on Wednesday at Chicago State University, prior to a scheduled Senate committee hearing on the matter.

The Black Caucus discussed their efforts to develop an agenda to overcome racial disparities in early childhood education, K-12 education, higher education and workforce training.

ILBC Chairman Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) said Black students deserve to have the same quality of education as students of any other race in the state.

“For far too long, Black students’ academic performance has suffered and their upward trajectory has been stifled by a severe lack of resources,” Lightford said. “We must ensure that schools in Black communities receive adequate funding to set our students on a path toward success at an early age. A quality education should not be out of reach for Black students because of where they live or their family’s financial situation. We seek to identify and eliminate every systemic barrier preventing educational achievement and career advancement.”