Illinois lawmakers are pushing a controversial homeschooling bill that could criminalize parents for not complying with new government oversight. More than 20,000 Illinois residents have already voiced opposition to the Democrat-sponsored legislation that critics say infringes on parental rights.
At a glance:
• Illinois House Bill 2827, known as the Homeschool Act, would impose new reporting requirements for homeschooling families
• The bill is supported by a Massachusetts-based group that has criticized “Christian fundamentalists” and “parental rights extremism”
• Over 2,000 people rallied at the state capitol against the bill, with more than 20,000 filing witness slips in opposition
• Parents could face jail time for improperly filling out homeschool paperwork under the proposed legislation
• The Illinois Catholic Conference and Illinois Christian Home Educators strongly oppose the bill as government overreach
Democrats Target Homeschooling Freedom
Democratic Representative Terra Costa-Howard’s bill would dramatically change Illinois’ historically hands-off approach to homeschooling. The legislation would require detailed personal information on homeschool students and force parents to comply with public school health and immunization regulations.
Homeschoolers could face intrusive portfolio reviews and officials would gain power to interrogate families about their curriculum choices. Parents who fail to properly complete the paperwork requirements could be charged with a Class C misdemeanor.
The bill’s backers include the Coalition for Responsible Home Education, which has increased its budget thanks to funding from the Ben and Jerry’s Foundation. The Massachusetts-based ice cream company has made inflammatory statements about conservatives and people of faith. It has also courted criticism with its negative attitude to Israel.
Massive Conservative Opposition Grows
Kirk Smith, Executive Director of Illinois Christian Home Educators, has been vocal about the dangers of this shocking government overreach. “We need to deal with the 470 kids from the Chicago Public Schools who were sexually assaulted by teachers and different staff in 2022,” Smith stated, hinting at the hypocrisy of targeting homeschooling families while problems plague public schools.
The Catholic Conference of Illinois also opposed the legislation, stating it “violates a basic trust between the school and the family.” Religious groups said the bill was a direct attack on parental rights and educational freedom.
Critics point out that only 30% of fourth-graders in Illinois public schools read at grade level, and some argue that lawmakers should focus on fixing failing public education rather than targeting successful homeschooling families.
Families Fight Back Against Government Control
The massive pushback against HB2827 has been swift and powerful. More than 2,000 Illinois residents rallied at the state capitol to protest the bill, with over 20,000 filing official witness slips in opposition.
Illinois has historically been one of the freest states for homeschooling in America. Parents currently enjoy the freedom to choose curriculum and teaching methods without government interference.
Previous attempts to regulate homeschooling in Illinois were defeated in 2011 and 2021 after parents mobilized against them. This latest attempt appears to be the most aggressive yet, with provisions that could set dangerous precedents for parental rights nationwide.
