The connection between civic action, learning

State Rep. Martin McLaughlin’s recent statement criticizing the Chicago Teachers Union’s planned “Day of Civic Action” frames a false choice between student learning and civic engagement. In reality, the two are not in conflict — they are deeply connected.

Public education has never been limited to reading, writing and math alone. It also prepares students to think critically, understand their communities and participate in a democratic society. Civic awareness is not a distraction from education; it is a fundamental outcome of it.

The suggestion that a single day of civic action meaningfully undermines academic progress ignores the broader challenges students and educators face every day — challenges that often require advocacy to address. Teachers and school staff are not “diverting” education; they are using their voices to improve the conditions in which education happens.

Equally concerning is the portrayal of public school funding as a burden rather than an investment. Strong public schools benefit not just Chicago, but the entire state. Framing this as a divide between suburban taxpayers and urban students risks deepening inequities rather than solving them.

If Illinois truly wants to prioritize students, we should listen to educators, support equitable funding and recognize that preparing young people for the future includes both academic skills and civic understanding.

Students deserve more than narrow definitions of success — they deserve an education that reflects the full scope of their role in society.

Rachel LaPlume

Barrington