Full Text of SJR0068 96th General Assembly
SJ0068 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
|
|
|
SJ0068 |
|
LRB096 13017 NHT 27191 r |
|
| 1 |
| SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
| 2 |
| WHEREAS, In 2006, the federal Secretaries of State, | 3 |
| Education, and Defense and the Director of National | 4 |
| Intelligence joined together to take part in an initiative to | 5 |
| dramatically increase the number of Americans learning and | 6 |
| teaching foreign languages of critical need for reasons of | 7 |
| national security and global competitiveness; and
| 8 |
| WHEREAS, In 2008, the initiative, entitled the National | 9 |
| Security Language Initiative, designated certain languages to | 10 |
| be categorized as "Critical Need"; and | 11 |
| WHEREAS, The National Security Language Initiative was | 12 |
| implemented on the notion that recognizes
that "speaking | 13 |
| another's language promotes understanding; conveys respect; | 14 |
| strengthens our ability to engage foreign peoples and | 15 |
| governments; and provides others with an opportunity to learn | 16 |
| more about America and its people"; and | 17 |
| WHEREAS, In 2008, Arabic was one of the languages | 18 |
| designated as a "Critical Need" language; and | 19 |
| WHEREAS, The National Security Language Initiative | 20 |
| provides for federal funding for language instruction under | 21 |
| Foreign Language Assistance Program grants; and |
|
|
|
SJ0068 |
- 2 - |
LRB096 13017 NHT 27191 r |
|
| 1 |
| WHEREAS, In 2008, federal grants have been used to aid in | 2 |
| instruction of Arabic in Illinois programs, such as grants | 3 |
| totaling $240,000 allowing for summer instruction for Chicago | 4 |
| public school students to intensify their Arabic at the | 5 |
| University of Chicago; and | 6 |
| WHEREAS, To date, this State still remains to be | 7 |
| startlingly under-represented among Foreign Language Assistant | 8 |
| Program grant recipients; and | 9 |
| WHEREAS, The State Board of Education also designates | 10 |
| funding for an Arabic Language Initiative under its Arts and | 11 |
| Foreign Language Education Grant Program; and | 12 |
| WHEREAS, In May 2008, Mayor Richard M. Daley announced that | 13 |
| Chicago public schools were initiating a $1,000,000 expansion | 14 |
| of the Critical Languages Program; and | 15 |
| WHEREAS, Concerned local communities of this State have | 16 |
| initiated a concerted effort since the creation of the National | 17 |
| Security Language Initiative to propose the introduction of | 18 |
| Arabic as a foreign language option for high school, junior | 19 |
| high, and elementary school students; and | 20 |
| WHEREAS, The concerted effort has included numerous signed |
|
|
|
SJ0068 |
- 3 - |
LRB096 13017 NHT 27191 r |
|
| 1 |
| petitions, town hall meetings, and numerous personal | 2 |
| one-on-one meetings with principals, students, teachers, | 3 |
| parents, and superintendents; and | 4 |
| WHEREAS, These concerned communities have continued their | 5 |
| efforts to maintain the goal of building a competitive | 6 |
| advantage for Illinois students in a changing global dynamic; | 7 |
| and
| 8 |
| WHEREAS, A few public schools in this State have already | 9 |
| begun to offer Arabic as a foreign language, such as Lindblom | 10 |
| Math & Science Academy, Lincoln Park High School, Roosevelt | 11 |
| High School, Volta Elementary School, Durkin Park Elementary | 12 |
| School, and Peck Elementary School; and
| 13 |
| WHEREAS, Funding options, research, and community interest | 14 |
| have shown Arabic to be a foreign language that will be a | 15 |
| welcomed option in school districts, providing competitive | 16 |
| advantage for students in this State; therefore, be it
| 17 |
| RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL | 18 |
| ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES | 19 |
| CONCURRING HEREIN, that we encourage school districts in this | 20 |
| State to explore the introduction of Arabic as a foreign | 21 |
| language in their curriculum, particularly school districts | 22 |
| that have constituencies with an interest in the instruction of |
|
|
|
SJ0068 |
- 4 - |
LRB096 13017 NHT 27191 r |
|
| 1 |
| Arabic, through a transparent and collaborative process with | 2 |
| the community that takes full advantage of State and federal | 3 |
| funding resources; and be it further
| 4 |
| RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | 5 |
| delivered to the school districts of this State.
|
|