Village Voices - We don't write papers, we build scrapbooks

The Illinois House passed a bill Wednesday that would reimburse public school teachers for tuition and mandatory fees paid to a public institution of higher education.

The measure is intended to promote the retention of teachers, but Republicans said it would skew toward the benefit of wealthy students whose parents paid for their education.

In a 70-42 vote, with no Republican support, the House passed House Bill 4139, which would require the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to establish and administer a teacher reimbursement grant program that provides eligible appl...