Schaumburg woman’s legislation passed; schools told to act
(DAILY HERALD) SCHAUMBURG IL – Time and time again, Erin Merryn was told it couldn’t be done.
Having a conversation about childhood sexual abuse was taboo enough; requiring schools to implement curriculum on the subject — through yet another unfunded mandate — was too tall an order.
“I faced a lot of skeptics who didn’t believe we could get this done, but I knew in my heart we would,” Merryn, 27, said Friday.
The Schaumburg woman’s dedication paid off Thursday when the Illinois Senate voted 51-1 in favor of Erin’s Law, which extends state-mandated sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention education from secondary schools to include elementary and middle schools. It passed 97-10 in the state House of Representatives last month.
