North Cook News

Jim Geldermann, the former Republican candidate for Illinois House of Representatives District 17, is voicing strong opposition to the proposed Illinois Homeschool Act (HB 2827) which seeks to increase oversight on homeschooling families. 

Geldermann believes that the bill represents yet another example of government interference that disregards parental rights and places undue burdens on families.

“This is another example of self-described experts inserting themselves between students and parents,” Geldermann told North Cook News. “As I understand it, the impetus for this bill is because DCFS failed in its primary mission of monitoring children at risk. And typically, instead of assigning blame to the failure, they blame homeschooling for their dereliction of duties.”

The Illinois Homeschool Act seeks to impose new regulations on homeschooling families, including the requirement that homeschooled students submit a “Homeschool Declaration Form” to avoid truancy penalties. 

Additionally, the bill mandates that if homeschooled students wish to engage with public schools or participate in public school activities, certain health documentation must be provided. 

Critics of the bill, including Kirk Smith of Illinois Christian Home Educators, argue that it infringes on parental rights and creates unnecessary bureaucratic barriers by requiring state permission for homeschooling.

Over 41,000 Illinois residents have already filed witness slips opposing the bill, which is currently under consideration by the Illinois House of Representatives Education Policy Committee.

“When did we stop being a society where the government was formed by and for the people?” Geldermann said. “Why are people so willing to subject themselves to tyranny? People choose to homeschool because of the subject matter taught at the government’s schools. They also want their children to know and live their values, not abdicate their responsibilities as citizens and become subjects of an unjust and tyrannical government.”

Geldermann argues that the real issue lies with the failures of the public education system, particularly the inability of the government to adequately educate medium and low-income students. 

He believes that the sponsors of the bill are motivated by political and financial interests rather than a genuine concern for children’s education.

“The log in the government’s eye is their, some would say purposeful, failure to educate medium and low-income students,” Geldermann said. “The sponsors of this bill are in the pocket of the teachers’ union. At a retired teachers’ forum last year, the Democrats promised the teachers that they would pass legislation to regulate homeschooling. This is another example of government teachers eliminating competition so that their failures don’t look so egregious.”

Geldermann's critique extends beyond just the specific bill, as he sees the broader problem of government intervention in education as a threat to individual freedoms. 

“Unjust laws can only be passed when the people are not educated,” he said. “An educated populace is the first line of defense against tyranny.”

“All laws are a purposeful infringement of people’s rights,” Geldermann added. “An educated populace is needed to discern unjust from just laws.”

Geldermann also criticized the bureaucracy behind the bill, calling it another attempt by government agencies to create unnecessary obstacles for the public.

“It is the primary purpose of bureaucracy to create undue challenges for the population,” he said.

As the bill moves through the legislative process, Geldermann is urging the public to push back against what he perceives as an infringement on their rights. 

He expressed a strong desire for the bill to be defeated and for the lawmakers who support it to be voted out of office.

“I would like to see it defeated and the sponsors voted out of office,” he said.

Sponsors of the bill include representatives Terra Costa Howard, Michelle Mussman, Kelly M. Cassidy, Katie Stuart, Mary Beth Canty, Janet Yang Rohr, Nicolle Grasse, Margaret Croke, Joyce Mason, Michael Crawford, Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, Lisa Davis, Kevin John Olickal, Will Guzzardi, Kam Buckner and Hoan Huynh.

Geldermann was defeated by incumbent State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-Glenview) in the general election for Illinois House of Representatives District 17 in November 2024.