«		LEGAL/LEGISLATIVE UPDATES		»
ACROSS THE STATES

ILLINOIS

Against all odds

Even though all odds were against them, Illinois homeschoolers tirelessly fought and won a crucial battle this year.

Senator Kwame Raoul had made his liberal agenda a priority due to the fact that the Democrats had gained control of the Illinois House and Senate for the first time in many years. With strong support from the National Education Association, Senator Raoul introduced a bill to lower the compulsory attendance age from 7 to 5. This was only the beginning for Senator Raoul, who publicly stated, "I want to lower the compulsory attendance age to 3!" He put the bill on the "fast track" for passage, expecting overwhelming support. But he underestimated the homeschool opposition.

Home School Legal Defense Association worked side by side with Ralph Garcia, President of the Christian Home Educators Coalition of Illinois, to oppose this bill. Hundreds of calls from concerned families poured into the Senate committee. As a result, Senator Raoul came to us with a compromise that would allow homeschools to be exempt since they are considered private schools in Illinois.

Garcia and HSLDA Senior Counsel Christopher Klicka declined to compromise, even though it would be an uphill battle. The bill subsequently passed in the Senate. Garcia and Klicka focused their efforts on the next target: the House Education Committee. Homeschoolers in Illinois responded to several HSLDA e-lerts and flooded the committee with calls and opposition.

Homeschoolers advanced two arguments against lowering the compulsory attendance age: 1) it would restrict parents' right to choose when their children are ready for school, and 2) it would cost the state millions of dollars that it didn't have. As a direct result of these arguments and the hundreds of calls steadily streaming in, the hearing was postponed over four times.

At the eleventh hour, when the opportunity for bills to be heard was about to end, Raoul's bill was brought up for a vote. However, the homeschoolers' previous calls had made the bill's problems clear, and it did not pass!

Defeating a "guaranteed winner" bill is a significant victory. Homeschoolers have proven once again that they care about freedom and will not take "no" for an answer. We praise God for this victory!

This bill could be resurrected in a special session, so we will continue to monitor the legislature closely.