Democrat Bill Would Create ‘Prison Pipeline’ For Illinois’ Homeschooling Parents, Critics Say
Illinois’ Democrat-run legislature is fast-tracking a bill that critics say attempts to criminalize parents’ ability to homeschool their children in the Prairie State.
This bill “continues that prison pipeline for homeschool parents,” said Will Estrada, senior counsel for the Home School Legal Defense Association.
Dubbed “The Homeschool Act” (HB 2827), the measure in question seemingly seeks to increase restrictions governing homeschooling in Illinois.
According to Fox News, the original version of the legislation included provisions that sought to “charge parents with a misdemeanor if they fail to register their kids in a ‘homeschool declaration form’ to the nearest public school they would otherwise be attending.” The original bill also reportedly attempted to require parents to provide “documentation of immunizations and health examinations for children who wish to participate in public school activities.”
The controversial legislation generated widespread backlash across Illinois, resulting in massive protests at the state Capitol ahead of a March 19 hearing before the House Education Policy Committee. The committee nonetheless voted to advance the bill to the floor. (Read more from “Democrat Bill Would Create ‘Prison Pipeline’ For Illinois’ Homeschooling Parents, Critics Say” HERE)
