Supporting state’s untapped potential bill

Recently, the Illinois Senate unanimously approved SB2970, or the Untapped Potential Act, a bill that aims to improve the identification of gifted students, especially as it relates to low-income and minority students, a population vastly underserved in gifted education programs.

I am actively championing this bill. Soon, the bill will go before the House for consideration. If passed, it will be one step closer to ensuring that every child in the state has access to the education they need and deserve. It matters in Illinois, a state that hasn’t provided funding to gifted education since 2003.

Karen McConnaughay

Illinois State Senator 33rd District

St. Charles

Should we cede Africa to ISIS?

If Trump is elected president and follows through with his foreign policy based on “American First” with little understanding or regard for alliances, negotiations or perceptions by other nations, we’ll be in serious peril.

Leading the free world isn’t easy. It can’t be accomplished through threats, or childish statements about other leaders. It requires intellect, insight, flexibility and patience — all qualities Trump lacks.

For example, threatening to abandon NATO members or other allies if they don’t fund there own defense is a great sound bite for uninformed voters. But, do we really want the Russians to annex the weaker NATO countries? Do we stop providing Isreal $3 billion a year and see what happens in the Middle East? Do we cede Africa to ISIS? Do we stop providing assistance to Mexico fighting drug cartels in their country?

We are the most powerful nation in the world. We spend more on defense than the next eight largest countries combined. But, that doesn’t mean we should destroy our alliances, abandon treaties, stop employing negotiations and quit using diplomacy in favor of saber rattling which could ultimately mean war or at least spending a tremendous amount of money and thousands of lives becoming the world’s policeman.

Trump is too dangerous to support for president.

Tom Minnerick

Elgin