James Meeks calls being gay "an evil sickness" and as a legislator, vigorously opposed equal LGBT access to jobs, housing, public accommodations and marriage.

He has helped lead a drive to privatize public education, giving our tax dollars to for-profit corporations, politically-connected "non-profits," and religious groups – despite them being unaccountable to most of the standards required of public schools – and gutting unions in the bargain.

Now Governor Rauner wants to make Rev. Meeks our state's next top educator.  No one with his demonstrated antipathy to public teachers and LGBTs should have such power over the education of our state's youth.

We urge the Illinois State Senate to vote "No!" on Rev. James Meeks' nomination to be Illinois's next Board of Education President.