Loughran Cappel, Senate members honor life of Wadee Alfayoumi

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel supported a resolution in the Senate that honors the life of Wadee Alfayoumi, a six-year-old American-Palestinian boy from Plainfield who was fatally attacked in 2023.

“This was a terrible act of violence against a child and no child should ever be made a target because of who they are, where they come from or how they pray,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “May the memory of Wadee be a blessing and a reminder we must rise against hate and continue the work of building a better and safer state.”

International Day of Peace is recognized across the world each year on Sept. 21. In honor of Wadee Alfayoumi, Senate Resolution 265 renames this year’s observance in Illinois as Wadee’s Day to inspire individuals to work together to make the world a more peaceful place.

The Senate adopted the resolution on Tuesday.

Loughran Cappel announces funding for local school districts’ libraries

CREST HILL – Thanks to State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel and Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, three school districts in the 49^th Senate District have secured grants to support student learning.

“Libraries are full of learning and provide educational opportunities for young minds, which is why it’s crucial we push for grants like this,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “We need to keep school libraries modern and properly equipped so all students have access to resources that further enhance their academic journey.”

Read more …

Loughran Cappel advocates for special education teachers

SPRINGFIELD – To address concerns about high caseloads that may hinder the ability of special education teachers to provide individualized care, State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel presented a resolution to the Senate Wednesday.

“I know firsthand how hard special education teachers work to support their students’ diverse learning needs,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “When more caseloads are being piled onto educators, reduced effectiveness and burnout is inevitable.” 

Senate Joint Resolution 2 would direct the Illinois State Board of Education and the Professional Review Panel to conduct a study on the impact of implementing maximum caseloads for special education teachers. The resolution requests ISBE to submit a report of their findings to the General Assembly and governor by Dec. 31, 2026.

“We need to look into the impact of setting fair caseload limits so we can ensure students receive the attention they deserve while not over-burdening our teachers,” said Loughran Cappel.

Senate Joint Resolution 2 was adopted by the Senate.

Cappel-supported legislation to ban cellphones during classroom instruction

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois students’ learning, engagement and test scores could be on track to improve significantly under a proposal supported by State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel seeking to limit students’ use of cellphones during classroom instruction.

“Cellphones have continued to be a major distraction for students in classrooms,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “Eliminating cellphone usage in schools will foster a more productive and engaging learning environment.”

Almost three-quarters of high school teachers recently polled by Pew Research said cellphone distraction is a major problem in their classes. At least 10 states currently have laws, executive orders or state education department policies restricting student use of cellphones during class.

Through Senate Bill 2474, school districts would be required to adopt a set of policies ensuring that students do not inappropriately use cellphones during instructional time. Each school district’s policy would need to allow for exceptions in cases such as emergencies and for technology used by students with disabilities. The measure would provide local flexibility by allowing school boards to implement the policy in a manner that best suits their communities.

“This legislation takes social media out of the classroom so students can focus on what’s important: learning,” said State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin), chief sponsor of the bill. “This measure sets a standard to limit cellphone use during class time but prioritizes flexibility, letting schools take the lead in deciding how it should be implemented in their local community.”

Senate Bill 2427 passed the Senate Wednesday with bipartisan support.