What began as a high-energy congregation called the SAVE OUR SCHOLARSHIP RALLY ended on a flat note when the featured speaker failed to support the cause.

It happened Monday night at Christ the King Grade School on the city’s West Side. About 300 people filled the gymnasium to standing room only. They were there to hear from about a half dozen students and their families speaking about the importance the state sponsored scholarships mean to their education dreams and the devastating effect losing the scholarships would have on them and their loved ones.

The program, called the Invest in Kids Act Tax Credit Scholarship Program, was begun under the Republican Rauner administration. It allows donors to get hefty tax credits, as much as 75%, by donating to low-income students wishing to receive a private or parochial education. The state government is currently controlled by the super-majority Democrats, and they have declined to renew the sun-setting legislation.

Democrat State Senator, Doris Turner, was the featured guest and after hearing the other speakers she took to the microphone for some brief comments and to take some questions.

The crowd was disappointed to hear her say she had not seen any formal presentations about the legislation, so she declined to make any remarks about it. She was asked if she would even consider just extending the current package and again declined to make any comments about the legislation other to say she is always in support of education.

WTAX News spoke with several organizers and interested parties and they all expressed thanks for the senator for her attendance but were disappointed by her tepid remarks.