Illinois Homeschoolers Rally Against Proposed Education Bill
Hundreds of homeschooling families protested at the Illinois state Capitol against House Bill 2827, which they argue infringes on parental rights and imposes unnecessary regulations.
In a significant demonstration of dissent, hundreds of homeschooling families gathered at the Illinois state Capitol in Springfield to voice their opposition to House Bill 2827, known as the Homeschool Act. The bill, which has advanced out of the Education Policy Committee and is headed to the state House floor for a vote, proposes new requirements and potential penalties for homeschooling parents, stirring controversy among those who see it as an overreach by the government into family education choices.
The Homeschool Act would mandate that homeschooling parents meet specific educational standards and submit a ‘Homeschool Declaration Form’ to the nearest public school. Failure to comply could result in children being considered truant, and parents facing a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by up to 30 days in jail. Critics argue that the bill’s vague language leaves room for future expansions of regulations, potentially threatening the freedom of homeschooling further.
Will Estrada, senior counsel for the Homeschool Legal Defense Association, expressed concerns that the bill represents a ‘solution in search of a problem,’ given the proven academic and social success of homeschooled children. Michelle Langworthy, a homeschooling mother at the protest, echoed these sentiments, highlighting the bill’s provision that allows schools to determine where a child’s educational records go, stripping parents of this right. She also criticized the bill’s suggestion that students should be educated to serve the state, which she finds misaligned with her family’s values.
The protest comes amid growing tensions between homeschooling advocates and state legislators. As the bill moves closer to a full House vote, and potentially to the desk of Governor J.B. Pritzker, the homeschooling community remains vigilant, ready to defend what they see as a fundamental right to educate their children according to their own values and standards.