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Illinois twins push for more diverse reading assignments in schools

By FOX 32 News
Published  March 29, 2023 6:47pm CDT
Illinois
FOX 32 Chicago

Illinois bill would require more diverse reading curriculum for K-12 students

A new state bill proposed by State Rep. La Shawn Ford would require Illinois teachers to install more diverse literature into their coursework.

CHICAGO - A pair of Illinois twins are on a mission to make school reading assignments more diverse.

The Pierce twins, Phallon and Kyra, wrote legislation last year that passed the Illinois House but failed in the Senate.

Now, they are back in Springfield for a second shot.

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The twins have teamed up with state Representative La Shawn Ford to introduce House Bill 24-01, which would require school districts to include authors from all ethnicities and backgrounds in reading assignments for grades kindergarten through 12th.

"We want to make sure that everybody knows that it's not a book ban. It’s simply adding books and adding context with books that kids are reading in schools," said Phallon and Kyra.

In addition to writing "The Pierce Twins Bills", the young ladies have started "Positive Change Charities" which has donated more than 2,000 books over the last two years to underfunded school libraries.

Phallon and Kyra are 16-year-old sophomores in high school and each have a 4.8 GPA.