Illinois lawmakers have introduced a new bill aimed at protecting students’ civil rights by explicitly prohibiting school police from ticketing and fining students for misbehavior. The legislation also mandates districts to track police activity at schools and disclose it to the state, especially as federal authorities are scaling back their civil rights enforcement role. Previous investigations revealed that Black students in Illinois were disproportionately targeted for tickets at school compared to their white peers, highlighting the need for reform.

The bill, backed by Rep. La Shawn Ford and advocacy groups, seeks to end the practice of police ticketing at schools while allowing police to intervene in criminal or violent situations. Efforts to address this issue have faced obstacles in the past, with concerns over limiting police responses and lack of clarity in previous versions of the legislation. The proposed bill aims to strike a balance by clarifying the role of police in school discipline matters.

Another bill in the Illinois Senate is expected to complement the House version by prohibiting school administrators from involving police in issuing tickets as disciplinary measures. These legislative initiatives stem from ongoing efforts to address systemic issues following investigations into the misuse of police involvement in school discipline. State leaders, including Gov. J.B. Pritzker and education officials, are committed to ending the practice of student ticketing, recognizing its disproportionate impact on students of color.

Overall, these legislative actions aim to safeguard students’ rights and prevent the harmful consequences of involving law enforcement in school disciplinary matters, emphasizing the importance of data transparency and accountability in ensuring fair treatment for all students.