Black students' advocacy group criticizes Harris' former VP shortlister for turning his back on them.

A Black advocacy group criticized Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker before the Democratic National Convention, claiming he has not adequately supported Black students in the state.

Darius Jones, founder and executive director of the National Black Empowerment Action Fund, stated in a Planet Chronicle Digital interview on Friday that Governor Pritzker has failed Illinois' Black students and that he is solely responsible for the situation.

Pritzker, who was on Vice President Kamala Harris' short list for vice president, was criticized by a group that typically supports Democratic policies and politicians for his education funding record in accordance with state law.

Jones stated that instead of assisting Black students, Pritzker has turned his back on them by consistently underfunding their schools and depriving them of the high-quality public education that every child deserves.

"This disadvantages multiple generations of Black children who deserve a fair chance, as they are overlooked by a governor with other priorities. That's not right."

In 2017, Illinois passed the Evidence-Based Funding for Student Success Act, which mandated that the government use a specific formula to determine how to allocate funds for public schools, with the goal of fully funding them by 2027.

Despite the recommendation of NBEAF and PEER IL, Illinois has only increased its education funding by $350 million per year since the passage of the bill, which falls short of the $7 billion increase needed by 2027.

According to the NBEAF report, Illinois will not meet the law's deadline for full funding if it only does the minimum annually.

The Illinois Constitution mandates that the state fulfill its obligations while ensuring the educational growth of all individuals to their full potential.

According to the report, 95% of Black students' school districts are underfunded, while White students in Illinois are four times more likely to be in well-funded districts, exacerbating racial disparities in education.

Planet Chronicle Digital did not receive a comment from Pritzker's office before publication.

The Illinois governor's report and criticism are released just before the Democratic National Convention, which Pritzker hosts in Chicago.