State Senator James Meeks (D-Chicago) is not only a lawmaker, he pastors Southside Chicago's Salem Baptist Church boasting 15,000 members. Those pastoring skills and the political clout he's earned over the past two terms were spotlighted Thursday when his pilot voucher program for struggling students in Chicago passed the Illinois Senate with a eyebrow-raising diverse coalition of supporters.
A vote for Meek's school choice bill opens the way for students to attend the school of their choice -- be it in the public or the private system -- and those who opposed it walk a dangerous tightrope of being seen as putting teacher union support over the next generation's possibilities for academic success.
Thursday's vote on Meeks' SB 2494 indicated bi-partisan support and bi-partisan opposition.
Among the bill's 33 supporters were Senate Education Committee's former chairman Senator Kimberly Lightford, Senate Democratic Black Caucus members Emil Jones, Jr., Rickey Hendon, and Rev. Meeks, the current Education Committee chairman. Other Democratic support came from senators Susan Garrett, Lou Viverito and Don Harmon, all from the Chicago area. The other 26 "Yes" votes came from the Republican side of the aisle, including the ILGOP's gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady, the ILGOP's candidate for state treasurer Dan Rutherford as well as 14th CD candidate Randy Hultgren.
Downstate Democrats Deanna DeMuzio, Gary Forby, Bill Haine, David Koehler, John Sullivan and Linda Holmes voted with Chicago area Democratic senators Crotty, Frerichs, Kotowski, Link, Raoul, Steans, Trotter and Wilhelmi in support of teachers' unions and against parental choice in education. Two Republicans also voted "No" -- west suburban John Millner and John Jones.
SB 2494 now moves to the Illinois House side, where State Representative Will Davis is expected to have a tough time getting the bill out of the Rules Committee. Davis shares legislative districts with Senator Meeks, but not the political clout to move the legislation towards passage. It will all depend upon parents and students wanting school choice to open up in Chicago and Davis' ability to form new coalitions in the House as to whether Meeks' effort will move forward.
