Lake County Gazette

State Representative Tom Weber (R-Lake Villa) continues to advocate for parents' rights to choose the best educational form for their children. House Bill 2827, known as the "Homeschool Act," was heard in committee yesterday and passed despite significant opposition from tens of thousands of families who opt for home or private education. The bill mandates that non-public elementary and secondary schools register annually with the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and requires homeschools to complete a Homeschool Declaration Form, with penalties including fines and potential imprisonment for non-compliance. Additionally, HB 2827 requires school administrators to share personal information about themselves and their students with state and local authorities.

"Illinois should not only allow but encourage parents to decide which educational experience is best for their children because every student and every family is different," said Rep. Weber. "More than that, keeping tabs on every choice parents make about what is best for their child is an unnecessary overreach. "

Representative Weber's dissatisfaction with HB 2827 has been echoed statewide since the bill's introduction in February. Before the bill's hearing in the House Education Policy Committee, over 48,000 Illinoisans filed witness slips opposing the legislation. Yesterday, thousands of residents gathered at the Capitol to express their strong opposition and discuss their positive experiences with homeschooling.

"This legislation obviously misses the mark in a number of ways," said Weber. "The State is taking a leap in the wrong direction by burdening parents with new mandates, and I remain strongly opposed to doing so. "

Despite unanimous "no" votes from Republicans, House Bill 2827 passed the House Education Policy Committee and now proceeds to the House Floor for a vote.

Residents who oppose HB 2827 can sign Rep. Weber's petition and file a witness slip at ilga.gov. For more information on the Homeschool Act and how to fight it, please visit The Caucus Blog.