A Black advocacy group, the National Black Empowerment Action Fund (NBEAF), has launched a scathing critique of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, accusing him of failing Black students across the state. The group, known for its support of Democratic policies, has specifically targeted Pritzker’s record on education funding, highlighting a state law that mandates full funding for public schools by 2027.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Darius Jones, founder and executive director of the NBEAF, declared, “Governor Pritzker has failed Illinois’ Black students, and he has no one to blame but himself.” Jones further elaborated, stating, “Rather than helping Black students, Pritzker has turned his back on them by systematically underfunding their schools, denying them the high-quality public education that every child is entitled to.” The group contends that Pritzker’s actions create a significant disadvantage for Black students who are “ignored by a governor who clearly has other priorities.”
The Evidence-Based Funding for Student Success Act, signed into law in Illinois in 2017, outlined a specific formula for allocating education funds and stipulated the requirement of fully funding public schools by 2027. However, the NBEAF and the Partnership for Equity and Education Rights (PEER IL) argue that Illinois has fallen short of its obligations. They maintain that the state needs to increase its education funding by over $7 billion by 2027. Despite the law’s passage, funding increases have been limited to a minimum of $350 million annually, including during Pritzker’s administration. “If Illinois does only the bare minimum annually, it will not come close to meeting the law’s deadline for full funding,” the NBEAF report asserts.
The report further details the disparity in education funding across Illinois. It states that 95% of Black students’ school districts are currently underfunded, while White students are over four times more likely to be in well-funded districts. This discrepancy reinforces the persistent racial disparities in education.
This criticism of Pritzker’s record on education funding comes just days before he hosts Democratic leaders from across the country in Chicago for the Democratic National Convention. While Pritzker’s office did not provide a comment to Fox News Digital, the NBEAF’s report and accusations are likely to garner significant attention ahead of this crucial political event.
