STATION EDITORIAL

Posted March 7, 2025

This is a station editorial, I’m Randal J. Miller, station president.

Well, state government wants to get their hands into regulating home schooling in Illinois.

Representative Terra Costa Howard, a Democrat from Lombard, has filed a series of bills called the “Homeschool Act” to require parents to notify schools annually that they intend to homeschool their kids.   The bill also would require parents to keep a portfolio of their children’s academic work and immunization records.

The so-called “Homeschool Act” has some 15 co-sponsors.

As you might imagine, there are those supporting the bill including the Massachusetts-based Coalition for Responsible Home Education, which says the legislation will help keep kids safe.

Meanwhile, the Virginia-based Homeschool Legal Defense Association is strongly opposed to the bill claiming the bill is an attack on Illinois families to teach their kids at home.

Homeschooling in Illinois was the subject of a 1950 Illinois Supreme Court case in which they ruled a couple could homeschool for religious reasons as a form of private school.

Illinois presently is among several states that have few regulations for homeschooling.   The proposed bill is the first legislation that would attempt to regulate homeschooling in the state.

We see this as yet another attempt at government to stick its nose where it doesn’t belong.  There are countless examples of homeschooling working for youngsters, who typically have better test scores and do better in college as a result.   

We think this proposed bill shouldn’t see the light of day.   But, considering Illinois Democrats have a supermajority in both chambers and have a Democratic governor running to the far left to run for president, I wouldn’t be surprised if it passes.

That’s our opinion, we welcome yours.  Our e-mail address is editorial@randyradio.com.