What we can learn from the Rejection of Illinois HB2827
- rstinson10
- Jun 14
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 17
School choice bills and homeschool regulation bills are nothing new. Many states have such regulation already in place or are in the process of attempting to pass such relevant legislation. However, for the first time we have witnessed a bill of this kind get the national attention needed to prevent it from becoming law.
The defeat of HB2827 was an important event and there are a few things we must learn from this experience to prevent future similar education-related bills from becoming law.
HB2827 showed the world that homeschooling is not a "fringe" activity
It is no secret that homeschooling works, and recently, homeschooling has become more popular than has been ever. Many families have been compelled to consider homeschooling due to the serious problems in public schools, and homeschooling has grown exponentially. The popularity of home education has also gotten attention from lawmakers and the increase of tyrannical "school choice" bills like HB 2827.
Click to see our article about the truth about homeschooling including socialization, academic performance and why we must fight to preserve this historically proven method of education.
HB2827 brought school choice bills to the attention of American citizens.
(Anti) school choice bills are tyrannical: we must fight them!
We already have school choice (education freedom) in every state. You can choose to send your children to a public school, a private school, or you can homeschool. The right to homeschool your children (in some form) is guaranteed as part of the 1st Amendment of the US Constitution and the Supreme Court has ruled multiple times that you, as a parent, have the right to educate your own children.
What school choice laws actually do is allow big government bureaucracies (disguised as “help”) to be more involved in your household and your finances. They are creating a huge legal mess for homeschool families and DO NOT help our communities.
This time, there was a happy ending. The bill was declared dead in June 2025 when it failed to pass. Education freedom was preserved in Illinois and everyone has moved on. However, we must remember that HB2827 is not unique. Many states have -- and continue -- to try to pass school choice laws that are extend the control of government over homeschoolers. It is also possible this is not over and a similar bill in Illinois may come up sometime in the future. As I am writing this, at least two other states are attempting to pass school choice bills.
Peaceful protesting is effective
Illinois bill HB2827 was defeated due to the number of people fighting against it. Yes, there were representatives whose job it is to fight against tyrannical laws; however, much of the success of the defeat of HB2827 depended upon average American citizens who made it their business to stop this bill from becoming law.
The protests, the internet campaigns, donating to HSLDA, contacting state representatives and the Illinois voters for voting for the elected officials were all vital in preventing this bill from becoming law in Illinois. Resisting this legislation did not happen in vain and contributed to the victory.
I wish we could be informed voters who simply show up at the polls during an election after researching ballot initiatives. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
Our legal representatives often do not give us as option to voice our opinions on important laws, like school choice bills. Instead, they vote in a congressional setting behind closed doors or with limited exposure to the public. This makes it so that instead of just showing up to vote a few times a year at the polls, American citizens have to contact our representatives, attend congressional hearings and have elaborate social media activist campaigns in order to protect our freedoms. We have to do this, as our freedom is at stake.
Your voice matters. Strength in numbers matters. We can use this experience in other facets. We must all be proactive and diligent in protecting freedom, education related or not.
It is a reminder to join the fight even if you are not affected by it.
Much of the success in the defeat of HB2827 is credited on non-homeschoolers, based upon the opposition to this bill from homeschooling families and regular families. If you are not a homeschooler, you would not be directly affected by the (anti)-school choice bills that are being presented and signed into law across our nation. It is however likely that it will affect your neighbors and school choice bills will affect you indirectly.
We shouldn't "stay in our lane", "agree to disagree" or "mind our own business" about tyrannical issues, such as this one. We must speak out and fight against them no matter who will be affected by it.
"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." Proverbs 31:8-9
Below is a famous quote written by Martin Niemöller during the Holocaust of World War II. What he illustrated in his quote is that injustices that happen to other people is everyone's business, because we might be "the other people" one day.
"First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out because I was not a communist. Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me".
Here is our article about how school choice voucher laws harm our community.
Here is a list of ways to support school choice and help the school choice community without voucher scams.
HSLDA (Homeschool Legal Defense Association) is a very important organization in the homeschool world for many reasons. One reason being that they are a group of lawyers who help fight against tyrannical school choice bills like HB 2827. We encourage you to read our article about them.
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