Paseo Podcast hosts a conversation with two of the people most influential in getting Illinois to fulfil its promise of accessible public education  

In both covert and overt ways, the public school system is a manifestation of white supremacy. That’s according to Illinois State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas and Managing Director of Corps Member Leadership at teach for America, Jason Dones. 

The two spoke on the Paseo Podcast about their efforts to implement new teaching standards in Illinois that would combat inequities in the classroom, the pushback they’ve subsequently received and why this initiative is necessary in order for students, especially students of color, to achieve their full potential.  The standards, known as “culturally sensitive and responsive teaching,” were recently adopted by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and instruct accredited teacher education programs to include new training, like how to partner with students of all backgrounds in order to affirm their identities, within their curriculum. 

State Senator Pacione-Zayas, who represents eight communities on the Northwest side of Chicago including Humboldt Park and Logan Square and had a hand in guiding the legislative proceedings, says the training soon-to-be teachers will receive will embolden their ability to be an effective educator. “It invites a process of reflection, responsibility, analysis, awareness and ultimately action,” Pacione-Zayas said. Dones was a member of the task force, composed of experts in the field, community stakeholders and students, brought together by ISBE to offer their collective advice and guidance in drafting the standards. 

In their conversation with Paseo host, Joshua Smyser-Deleon, Pacione-Zayas and Dones dispel misconceptions about the legislation. While critics of the standards say they will politicize the classroom, Dones argues that the classroom is already an inherently political space and says that the premise that school isn’t already a cultural and racial experience misses a fundamental understanding of the school as a system of white dominance. “It’s about achievement, it’s about closing the gap and ensuring that school is designed with all students in mind,” Dones said. “That’s what these standards are trying to rectify, that we are just a little bit more deliberate to the type of school experience that we’re presenting, primarily to black and brown students.”

Pacione-Zayas points out that these standards are a means of helping all students in their path towards self-determination, “How about we set humans up for their best possible life from the beginning?” Pacione-Zayas said. 

And speaking of early education, in a bonus segment, Dones reveals which Puerto Rican dish he was most excited to introduce his son to. Spoiler-- it involves lechon. 

Find out more about State Senator Pacione-Zayas and Jason Dones, including their Puerto Rican heritage, by listening to or watching their appearances on Paseo Podcast.

Additional Key Takeaways 

1. We learn about why Critical Race Theory should be federally funded in training for teachers.

2. Contrary to popular thought, students are not just empty vessels ready to be imbued with ideas. They each come with their own set of circumstances that contribute to their ability to access knowledge. 

3. It is a myth that there is a teacher shortage in the United States, “Just because you can’t buy a ferrari for $98 cents doesn’t mean there’s a Ferrari shortage.”