Illinois State Senator Willie Preston
  • Home
  • |
  • News
    • In the News
    • Press Releases
  • |
  • Bio
  • |
  • 16th District
  • |
  • Resources
    • Early Childhood Resources
    • Education Resources
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Health & Family Resources
    • Housing, Food and Econ.
    • Pub. Safety & Violence Prev.
  • |
  • Contact Us

Preston diversifies teacher evaluations

Details
Category: Press Releases
Thursday, May 11, 2023 11:22 AM

Sen. Preston

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Willie Preston shed light on disparities in Illinois’ education system by passing a measure to increase educator diversity by overhauling the outdated teacher evaluation system.

“Increasing diversity in schools should be a priority for Illinois to help the next generation connect with each other and understand different perspectives to develop new ideas and perceptions,” said Preston (D-Chicago). “We cannot uphold that if we are inadvertently pushing teachers out due to outmoded systems.”

Supported by the Chicago Teachers Union, House Bill 3570 would require the Illinois State Board of Education to analyze and assess teacher evaluation data by breaking down information by race and ethnicity of students, teachers, as well as the free and reduced-price lunch status of students. This crucial legislation will empower non-tenured teachers who work in challenging environments and level the playing field for all teachers.

Read more …

Senator Preston to remove outdated, antiquated language from criminal law

Details
Category: Press Releases
Friday, May 05, 2023 10:02 AM

Senator PrestonSPRINGFIELD – State Senator Willie Preston passed a measure to remove all references to the death penalty in criminal statutes.

“The language we use influences attitudes and behavior,” said Preston (D-Chicago). “It’s important that we clean up the language used in our laws to avoid creating unconscious biases.”

HB 3762 makes improvements to the language used in certain criminal laws by removing the use of all references to the death penalty. Capital punishment has been abolished in the Illinois since 2011. Removing references that refer to death sentencing and the type of drugs that can be administered to cause death constitutes a vital component of the Illinois culture to avoid unintentional predispositions when determining sentencing for defendants.

“How we choose to write and speak on laws plays a big role in how others see the law,” said Preston. “We may perceive something to be harmless, when in reality we are unknowingly influencing the world around us. These improvements help mitigate that.”

House Bill 3762 passed the Senate Thursday.

Preston spearheads new educator diversity measure

Details
Category: Press Releases
Thursday, April 20, 2023 01:27 PM

Sen. Preston

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Willie Preston passed a measure through the Senate Education Committee to increase educator diversity by overhauling the outdated teacher evaluation system.

“I recognize that diversity is necessary to ensure that students are given the perspectives of multiple backgrounds, cultures and ethnicities to better prepare themselves for the workforce and to have a more well-rounded education,” said Preston (D-Chicago). “We can start diversifying our educator workforce by making necessary changes to the current educator evaluation system in place.”

House Bill 3570 would require the Illinois State Board of Education to analyze and assess teacher evaluation data by breaking down information by race and ethnicity of students, teachers, as well as the free and reduced-price lunch status of students. This crucial legislation will empower non-tenured teachers who work in challenging environments and level the playing field for all teachers.

Read more …

Senator Preston and Consulate General of Israel host tour of Green Book Exhibit

Details
Category: Press Releases
Friday, April 14, 2023 04:04 PM

Sen. Preston

SKOKIE - State Senator Willie Preston and the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest teamed up to co-host a tour of the Green Book exhibit currently on display at the Illinois Holocaust Museum. 

The Green Book exhibit tells the story of the Green Book, a guidebook that Black Americans used during the Jim Crow era to navigate safe spaces in the South. The exhibit explores the history of the Green Book and its importance as a tool for Black Americans to protect themselves from discrimination and violence.

State Senator Willie Preston was proud to co-host the event and hopes that it will bring attention to the important role that the Green Book played in American history. 

Read more …

More Articles …

  1. Senator Preston Congratulates Former Senator Jacqueline Y. Collins for her appointment to the Illinois Human Rights Commission
  2. Senator Preston Stands with Expelled Tennessee Legislators – Black Voices Will Not Be Stifled
  3. Senator Preston streamlines testing and promotion process for Chicago firefighters
  4. Willie Preston secures over $840,000 for Oak Lawn & Hickory Hills Park District
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18
  • 19
  • 20

Page 18 of 20

Welcome

Thank you for visiting my legislative website. It is always an honor to serve the people of the 16th Senate District in the Illinois General Assembly. On my website, you can learn more about me and the issues I work hard to address for our community and our state. Your opinions are important to me, and I urge you to contact my Springfield or Chicago office if you have any questions or concerns.

Sen. Willie Preston sig

Sen. Willie Preston
16th District

Early Childhood Resources

Education Resources

Employment Opportunities

Health and Family

Housing, Food and Economic Stability

Violence Prevention and Public Safety

Follow Sen. Preston

Facebooktwitter

Newsletter Sign-up
  1. First Name(*)
    Invalid Input
  2. Last Name(*)
    Invalid Input
  3. Your Email(*)
    Please let us know your email address.

Office Info

District Office:
8500 S. Pulaski Rd.
Chicago, IL 60652
(773) 912-6255

Springfield Office:
Stratton Office Building
401 S. Spring St.
Section C, Office N
Springfield, IL 62706
(217) 782-1607

  1. You are here:  
  2. Home